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Christ cheers the Prospect . 

^is arms ofmerci/ are eocpa/ided to receive the conuru/ soul. 
Fear rwt poor Sinner, to apprffocfhllim. JlewiZl 
not on any account, cast thee out. 
Fage 729. 







LINCOLN, EDMANDS 

1833, 




Christ cheers the Prospect . 

jBis arms ofynerci/ are expanded to recetve th^ conmuj soul. 
Fear not p oar Sinner, to approach ffim, HeyfiU 
not on any account, cast thee oat . 
Page 129. 



^ HELP , *^ //*>5- 

TO • 

ZION'S TRAVELLERS: 

BEING AN ATTEMPT TO REMOVE 

VARIOUS STUMBLING-BLOCKS OUT OF THE WAY 

RELATING TO 

DOCTRINAL, EXPERIMENTAL AND 
PRACTICAL RELIGION. 



BY ROBERT HALL, 

halt of Arnshy, 

ILLUSTRATED WITH NOTES, 

BY REV. JOSEPH A. WARNE, OF BROOKLINE, MASS. 



WITH 

A Recommendatory Preface hy Dr. Rylandy 

AND AN INTRODUCTORY PREFACE 
BY THE LATE 

ROBERT HALL, A. M. OF BRISTOL, ENG. 



TO WHICH IS ADDED 

THE AUTHOR'S LIFE. 



BOSTO 

LINCOLN, EDMAND 

1833. 







Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1833, 

BY LINCOLN, EDMANDS & CO. 
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. 



/^S^. 



ADVERTISEMENT 

TO THE READER. 



The substance of the following attempt to relieve dis* 
couraged Christians, was delivered in a sermon at an 
Annual Association, held at Northampton, May 26, 1779, 
and was by the ministers and messengers of the churches 
desirfed to be printed. But most of the said ministers, 
and many of my friends, apprehending afterwards that 
the great variety and vast importance of the subjects at- 
tended to, would not admit of their being properly treated 
in so small a compass as that of a sermon, they requested 
that the plan might be enlarged, and the ideas expanded ; 
and advised to print it by subscription. 

This proposal I could not immediately comply with, as 
it materially differed from, and greatly exceeded, what 
was at first desired ; and therefore 1 resolved not to 
publish in any form, till the sense of the associate brethren 
could be taken. Accordingly, at their next annual meet- 
ing, I gave my reasons why I had not complied with 
their request; of which they approved, and earnestly 
desired the last-mentioned plan might be adopted and 
pursued. 

I should not perhaps have mentioned the above, only 
for the satisfaction of those who have complamed of the 
long delay. Being in a state of entire suspense for one 
year, and waiting to collect the names of subscribers 
afterwards, were the chief, though not the only reasons 
of the publication being postponed ; for various provi- 
dential occurrences have contributed to the delay. 

Respecting what 1 have written, 1 have only to say, 
the establishment of truth, the relief of distressed souls, 



iv 

the increase of brothetly love among the godly of every 
denomination, delight in the adorable and boundless per- 
fections of the great Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, 
and conformity to his righteous will, are the ends 1 have 
had in view, and which I earnestly wish may be accom- 
plished. But whether the manner of treating the several 
subjects be calculated to answer such purposes, I cannot 
say. I am habitually afraid, lest truth should suffer 
through my weakness, and on that account have often 
repented that I complied with the request of my friends. 
However, having been greatly perplexed with most of 
the difficulties referred to, I am not without hope that 
the communication of what has been relieving to my own 
mind, may be of use to others in similar exercises, through 
the blessing of God, which it is earnestly desired may 
attend every reader. And for which end may each one 
endeavor to lift up his heart unto him who hath said, 
The meek he will guide in judgment ^ and teach his way. 
Finally, brethren, pray for me, that I may live under the 
influence of truth, and in the prospect of eternal glory i 

ROBERT HALL. 

Arnsby, Leicestershire f 
May 21, 1781. 



EDITOR'S PREFACE. 



The work of which a new edition is now offered to the 
public, stands in no need of a recommendation from the 
pen of any man hving. It has been its own recommen- 
dation to the religious world in Great Britain, and also 
in America ; and never did we meet with a serious 
Christian who had read it, who did not award to it the 
meed of his hearty praise. It has been long, it is be- 
lieved, out of print in this country; and during the 
time that it has been so, a state of the religious com- 
munity has arisen, which has rendered such a Manual 
exceedingly desirable; and, indeed, the absence of such 
a one, much to be deplored. 

The few last years have been remarkable for exten- 
sive revivals of religion in almost every section of our 
country ; and for very numerous additions made to the 
numbers of professing Christians. The judicious and 
observing, however, cannot but have lamented, that 
while great pains, and unexampled labors have been 
bestowed, by ministers, on the unconverted, to snatch 
them from the burning, correspondent attention has not 
been bestowed on the young convert, to indoctrinate 
him in the truth. This has been a necessary conse- 
quence of the limitation of man's physical powers, j^ll 
the strength of multitudes of ministers, has been spent 
on the endeavor to awaken sinners ; and more than all, 
no minister possesses : of course, the instruction of the 



VI 

converted, *' more perfectly in the way of God," has been 
partially overlooked. One object of the present volume 
is, to supply this deficiency ; by enabling the young 
Christian, for himself, to acquire that acquaintance with 
some of the doctrines of the religion of Christ, which, 
while they lie at the foundation of human hope, are yet 
apt to present difficulties in the way of '* Zion's Trav- 
ellers." 

Of his own work, the Editor may be permitted to say, 
that he has been careful, in reducing the treatise to 
chapters, &c. not to destroy the integrity of Mr. Hall's 
work; and if, in a very few instances, he has made a 
shght alteration in the collocation of words, he trusts he 
shall meet with indulgence ; as it has been done only to 
avoid the introduction of some compound words, which 
the taste of modern readers cannot approve ; such as 
" Christ-dishonoring," and one or two others. 

Of the Notes, he has only to say, that they were de- 
signed for the elucidation of the text itself, or of the 
doctrine of the text ; and, if he may rely on the judg- 
ment of friends, to whose examination they have been 
subjected, they will be found not altogether without 
utility. With these remarks and explanations, the 
work is committed to the favor of the public, and the 
blessing of God, b)^ the 

EDITOR. 

Brookline, (Mass.) 
Dec. 1833. 



RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE 

TO THE 

SECOND LONDON EDITION. 



Twenty-eight years have elapsed since that Sermon 
was delivered, in my father's pulpit, at Northampton, 
before the Baptist Association, which Mr. Hall after- 
wards enlarged into the following Treatise. As I then 
united with many others in earnestly soliciting its pub- 
lication, so I have since repeatedly perused it with much 
satisfaction. When, therefore, the Publisher of the 
present Edition applied to me for a recommendatory 
Preface, I felt no hesitation but what arose from the 
early impressions of veneration for one of the wisest 
and best of men, to whom I was habituated to look up 
with such respect, as made this office feel to me assum- 
ing and arrogant. But when I reflect that he has been 
removed from our world for more than sixteen years, 
(and verily I miss no man more !) and consider that, 
smce his decease, many have joined our churches, who 
never had opportunity duly to appreciate his worth ; it 
seems not to be taking too much upon me, to testify in 
what high estimation he was justly held by those who 
had the pleasure of his acquaintance. Strong natural 
powers, ardent piety, deep exercises of mind, a series of 
singular and sanctified trials, with a special unction from 
the Holy One, rendered him a man of quick understand 
ing in the fear of the Lord. 



VIll 

Deeply convinced of human guilt and depravity, and 
very zealous for the honor of sovereign grace ; but no 
less concerned for internal holiness and practical re- 
ligion ; he was careful to walk in the midst of the paths 
of judgment, and to beware of turning aside to the right 
hand or the left. 

Open to conviction, and willing to follow the light of 
revelation, let it lead him whithersoever it would, he 
believed that, about fourteen years before his death, he 
had formed a more excellent way of solving some theo- 
logical difficulties, than he had adopted in the earlier 
part of his ministry. 

He called no man upon earth master, in respect of his 
religious sentiments, but he took a peculiar dehght in 
the writings of President Edwards ; and two Sermons 
by Mr. Smalley, (which I borrowed of our venerable 
friend Mr. Newton, of Olney, and after transcribing 
them, lent them to Mr. Hall,) contributed much to 
strengthen his conviction, that the moral impotence o^ 
sinners is no more an excuse for their slighting the call 
of the gospel, than it is for their violating the commands 
of the law. As the greatest disinclination to regard 
Divine authority cannot release a rational creature from 
an obligation to obey God's jjrecepts ; so the utter aver- 
sion of a sinner to regard the kindness of God our 
Saviour, cannot release him from an obligation thank- 
fully to comply with his invitations. 

At the same time, Mr. Hall remained as strenuous an 
advocate as ever for the necessity and efficacy of divine 
influence, to induce sinners or saints to comply cordially 
with their indispensable duty; and he was the more 
abundantly confirmed in a belief of the sovereign free- 
ness of grace, by reflecting that the inexcusable per- 



verseness of the human heart, which renders the agency 
of the divine Spirit so necessary, must at the same time 
evince that we are utterly unworthy of his gracious in- 
terposition. The greater our reluctance is to come unto 
God, in the way which he has prescribed for our return, 
the more undeserving are we of being drawn unto him 
by his Holy Spirit. 

But this excellent man remarked, that if the invitations 
of the gospel are not indefinite^ or addressed to sinners 
considered simply as needy and guilty, there can be no 
foundation for i\\Q first act of faith ; the sinner can have 
no warrant for his application to Christ, unless he could 
know his election, or prove his regeneration, before he 
committed his soul to him. Hence, as he once observed 
in a letter to a friend, they who would restrict the call 
of the gospel, "ought in reason to point out how unbe- 
lievers may know their election or regeneration in order 
to warrant their first application to Christ ; or how the 
assurance of personal interest in Christ may be obtained, 
before persons come to him. The first acts of faith must 
he unwarrantable and presumptuous, if there be no pre- 
vious call or invitation. We allow a change of heart 
must precede faith, but unknown renovation cannot be 
the ground of the sinner's first encouragement to apply 
to the Saviour, or that on which his right to confide in 
him is founded, because it is unknown. And to suppose 
any knowledge of regeneration or a change of heart, in 
order to a reliance on Jesus, is the same as supposing an 
assurance of possessing the spirit and grace of God, 
while an unbeliever ', or that a man n^ust know he is 
really safe, before he jiee from danger." 

This little volume, however, is far from being confined 
to a subject on which Mr. Hall, in his latter years, 



thought differently from the opinion he had embraced at 
his first setting out in the ministry. It contains an able 
vindication of the genuine doctrines of grace, from the 
objections of Socinians, Sabellians, Arminians and Anti- 
nomians. At its first publication, it was much approved 
by many pious, judicious, and learned men, of different 
denominations ; and here that excellent man, who is 
now laboring in India, with such indefatigable zeal for 
the salvation of the heathen, first found his own system 
of divinity. Raised from the greatest obscurity, Mr. 
Carey had but little access to books, at his first setting 
out in religion : and perplexed between the statements 
of the Arminians, and the crudest representations of 
Calvinism, by persons bordering closely on Antinomiart' 
ism, he searched the Scriptures attentively for himself, 
endeavoring to find out the narrow way, between ex- 
tremes which seemed irreconcilable to the honor of the 
divine government, and the glory of divine grace : and 
this was the first summary of evangelical truth, which 
appeared to him fully to accord with the sacred standard. 
On one particular which many readers might expect 
Mr. Hall to have noticed, he has hardly touched viz. 
the denial of the law of God as a rule of conduct to be- 
lievers. This sentiment he ever considered as so gross a 
piece of Antinornianism, that he did not suppose any 
man could embrace it, whose conscience was not seared 
as with a hot iron. The eminent divines, who verged to 
an extreme respecting the obligation of sinners to repent 
and believe the gospel, would have reprobated this doc- 
trine, as tending to the greatest licentiousness. Dr. 
Gill, Mr. Brine, Mr. Toplady, &c. utterly condemned 
so vile a sentiment. But within the last twenty years 
how many who exclaimed against Mr. Hall and his 



XI 

brethren, for embracing neio sentiments respecting the 
duty of sinners, have readily departed from their former 
guides, and embraced new notions respecting the duty 
of believers ! 

To me it appears a most marvellous instance of the 
deceitfulness of sin, if any man can think himself a 
friend to evangelical religion, who by sinking unbelievers 
helow all obligation, and raising believers above all obli- 
gation, almost annihilates both duty and sin, and so 
leaves no room for the exercise of either pardoning 
mercy or sanctifying grace. The apostolic axiom, " where 
there is no law there is no transgression," justly leads us 
to conclude, that they who are below or above law have 
no guilt, and need no Saviour; there is no room to show 
the riches of his grace, or the efficacy of his blood, in the 
pardon of those who never deserved punishment. If the 
command be exceedingly narrow, aur sins must be very 
^Qw, and the pardon of them a small matter. And if the 
effectual influence of the Spirit be supposed to be the 
source, rule, and measure of Obligation, no one can have 
reason to mourn for sin : since he always does as much as 
he was powerfully inclined to do, and by this supposition 
it was not his duty to do any more. Thus sinless per- 
fection is easily attained, though in the backward way ; 
not by coming up to the standard of rectitude, but by 
bringing it down to our level. Most comfortable doctrine 
to a carnal heart ! 

The first edition of this excellent work was very in- 
correctly printed. This will, I trust, be found very 
much improved, by the care of my respected brother, 
the Editor, who is endeared to me by the friendship of 
forty years, (for it is very near so long since we were 
baptized together at Northampton,) and by many cor- 



rections made by the Author himself, as well as by the 
addition of a clear analysis. May God bless ihe re- 
printing of it, to lead many more fully into the truth as 
it is in Christ Jesus, is the earnest prayer of 
The reader's cordial friend, 

and servant, for Christ's sake, 

JOHN RYLAND, 



INTRODUCTORY PREFACE 

TO THE THIRD LONDON EDITION. 



An aversion to religious controversy may arise from 
two causes, in tiieir nature the most opposite ; a con- 
tempt of religion itself, or a high degree of devotional 
feeling. They who consider the objects of religion as 
visionary and uncertain, or who, rejecting revelation, feel 
their inability to find a place where they may fix their 
footing, will naturally feel an emotion of contempt for 
theological contests, similar to that which we should ex- 
perience towards men who were fighting for possessions 
in the air. 

There are not a few who would engage with the ut- 
most seriousness and ardor in a dispute on the nature 
and effects of paper currency, who would be ashamed of 
being suspected of directing their attention for a moment 
to the most weighty questions in theology. Attentive to 
all the aspects and combinations of the material and of 
the political world, they are accustomed to regard re- 
ligion as a sort of Utopia, a land of shadow and of fiction, 
where, wrapt in pleasing vision, Credulity reposes on the 
lap of Imposture. This sort of persons are so completely 
overcome by the enchantments of the present state, so 
entirely devoted to the wisdom which St. James denomi- 
nates earthly and sensual, that they are incapable of 
being impressed with a conviction of the possibility of a 
higher order of objects, or a more elevated and refined 
condition of being, than that with which they are con- 
versant; and though they may possess a subtle and 
penetrating genius, they are not less disqualified fon:e- 



XIV 

Hgious inquiries than an idiot or an infant. They mind 
earthly things. 

How far the indisposition to religious controversy 
which prevails at presentj may be justly ascribed to this 
Sadducean temper, I shall not pretend to determine. It 
is certain, however, that, in some, this indisppsition pro* 
ceeds from a better cause. While the former class of 
persons think religion not worth disputing about, there 
are others who conceive it to be a subject too sacred for 
dispute. They wish to confine it to silent meditation, to 
sweeten solitude, to inspire devotion, to guide the prac- 
tice, and purify the heart, and never to appear in public 
but in the character of the authentic interpreter of the 
will of Heaven. They conceive it degraded whenever 
it is brought forward to combat on the arena. We are 
fully convinced^ that a disputatious humor is unfavorable 
to piety ; and that controversies in religion have often 
been unnecessarily multiplied and extended ; but how 
they can be dispensed with altogether, we are at a loss 
to discover, until some other method is discovered of con^ 
fating error, than sound and solid argument. As we no^ 
longer live in times (God be thanked !) when coercion 
can be employed, or when any individual, or any body 
of men, are invested with that authority which could 
silence disputes by an oracular decision, there appears 
no possibility of maintaining the interests of truth, with- 
out having recourse to temperate and candid controversy. 
Perhaps the sober use of this weapon may not be with- 
out its advantages, even at the present season. Prone 
as we are to extremes, may there not be some reason to 
apprehend, we have passed from that propensity to mag- 
nify every difference subsisting among Christians, to a 
neglect of just discrimination, to a habit of contemplating 
the Christian system as one in which there is little or 



XV 

nothing that remains to be explored ? Let us cultivate 
the most cordial esteem for all that love the Lord Jesus 
Christ in sincerity. Let us anxiously guard against 
that asperity and contempt which have too often mingled 
with theological debates ; but let us aim, at the same 
time, to acquire and retain the most accurate conceptions 
of religious truth. Every improvement in the knowl- 
edge of Christ and the mysteries of his Gospel, will 
abundantly compensate for the labor and attention ne- 
cessary to its attainment. 

However unhappily controversies have too often been 
conducted, the assistance they have afforded in the dis- 
covery of truth, is not light or inconsiderable. Not to 
mention the Reformation, which was principally eflfected 
by controversy, how many truths have, by this meansj 
been set in a clearer view ; and, while the unhappy pas- 
sions it has awakened have subsided, the light struck 
out in the collision has been retained and perpetuated. 

As the physical powers are scarcely ever exerted to 
their utmost extent, but in the order of combat, so intel- 
lectual acumen has been displayed to the most advan- 
tage, and to the most effect, in the contests of argument. 
The mind of a controversialist, warmed and agitated, is 
turned to all quarters, and leaves none of its resources 
unemployed in the invention of arguments, tries every 
weapon, and explores the hidden recesses of a subject 
with an intense vigilance and an ardor which it is next 
to impossible, in a calmer state of mind, to command. 
Disingenuous arts are often resorted to, personalities are 
mingled, and much irritative matter is introduced ; but 
it is the business of the attentive observer to separate 
these from the question at issue, and to form an impar- 
tial judgment of the whole. In a word, it may be truly 



XVl 

nffirmed that the evils occasioned by controversy are 
transient ; the good it produces is permanent. 

These observations I beg leave to submit to the 
reader, as an apology for the republication of a Treatise 
which is confessedly controversial. Coinciding with the 
Venerable author in the general aim and drift of the fol- 
lowing sheets, I am far from pledging myself to the ap- 
probation and support of every position contained in 
them ; nor would I be understood to attach all the im- 
portance to some of the points in discussion, which they 
appear, in his estimation, to have possessed. 

If there be any impression in the following Treatise, 
which implies that the questions at issue betwixt the 
Calvinists and Arminians are of the nature o^ funda- 
mentals, (of which, however, I am not aware,) 1 beg 
leave, as far as they are concerned, to express my ex- 
plicit dissent; being fully satisfied that upon either sys- 
tem the foundations of human hope remain unshaken, 
and that there is nothing in the contrariety of views en- 
tertained on these subjects, which ought to obstruct the 
most cordial affection and harmony among Christians. 

Having no pecuniary interest in this work, I may, 
perhaps, be allowed with the more freedom to communi- 
cate my opinion of its merit. I am much mistaken if the 
candid reader will not perceive in the author an impar- 
tial love of truth, together with a degree of ingenuity 
and acuteness in its illustration and defence, not always 
to be met with in theological discussions. 

The sentiments of my honored father were decidedly 
Calvinistic. His object, however^ in the following 
Treatise, was not so much to recommend that system in 
general) as to disengage it from certain excrescences, 
which he considered as weakening its evidence and im- 
pairing its beauty. On reviewing his religious tenets 



during the latter years of his life, and impartially com- 
paring them with the Scriptures, he was led to discard 
some opinions which he had formerly embraced, and 
which he afterwards came to consider as having a per- 
nicious tendency. 

From the moral impotence which the oracles of truth 
ascribe to man in his fallen state, a certain class of di- 
vines were induced to divide moral and religious duties 
into two classes, natural and spiritual; comprehending 
under the latter, those which require spiritual or super- 
natural assistance to their performance ; and under the 
former, those which demand no such assistance. Agree- 
able to this distinction, they conceived it to be the duty 
of all men to abstain from the outward acts of sin, to 
read the Scriptures, to frequent the worship of God, and 
to attend with serious assiduity to the means of grace ; 
but they supposed that repentance, faith in Christ, and 
the exercise of genuine internal devotion, were obliga- 
tory only on the regenerate. Hence their ministry con- 
sisted almost entirely of an exhibition of the peculiar 
mysteries of the gospel, with few or no addresses to the 
unconverted. They conceived themselves not war- 
ranted to urge them to repent and believe the gospel, 
those being spiritual duties, from whose obligation they 
were released by the inability contracted by the fall. 

These conclusions were evidently founded upon two 
assumptions ; first, that the impotence which the Scrip 
tures ascribe to the unregenerate is free from blame, so 
as to excuse them from all the duties to which it ex- 
tends. In opposition to this, the Author of the follow- 
ing Treatise has proved, in a very satisfactory manner, 
that the inability under which the unconverted labor is 
altogether of a moral nature, consisting in the corrup- 
tion of the will, or an aversion to things of a spiritual and 
B 



divine nature ; that it is in itself criminal ] and that, scp 
far from affording an excuse for what would otherwise 
be duty, it stamps with its own character all its issues 
and productions. 

In considering the moral character of an action, we 
are naturally led to inquire into its motive, and according 
as that is criminal, laudable, or indifferent, to character- 
ize the action whence it proceeds. The motive, how- 
ever, appears no otherwise entitled to commendation, 
than a& it indicates the disposition of the agent ; so that 
in analyzing the elements of moral character, we can as- 
cend no higher than to the consideration of the dispo- 
sition^ or the state of the will and of the affections, as 
constituting the essence of that portion of virtue or of 
vice which we respectively ascribe to it. To proceed 
farther will only involve us in a circle, since to what- 
ever we might trace the disposition in question, should 
we be induced, for example, to ascribe it to the free ex- 
ercise of the will, that exercise would fall under the 
same predicament, and be considered either as virtuous- 
or vicious, according to the disposition whence it pro- 
ceeds. When the Scriptures have placed the inability 
of mankind to yield holy and acceptable obedience in an 
evil disposition, or in blindness and hardness of hearty 
thej' have conducted us to the ultimate point on this 
subject, and have established the doctrine of humaa 
criminality upon a basis which cannot be shaken or dis- 
turbed, without confounding the first principles of moral 
discrimination. Though it is manifest this impotence i& 
entirely of a moral nature, totally distinct from the want 
of natural faculties, it is equally evident, that to what- 
ever extent it exists, while it actually subsists, it is as^ 
effectual an impediment to the performance of holy 
actions as any physical privation whatever ; and on that 



mccouQt, and that alone, may, without absurdity, be 
-styled an inability* This important distinction was not 
altogether unknown to our earlier divines, though they 
neglected to avail themselves of it as fully as they ought. 
It is clearly stated by the great Mr. Howe, in his Bless- 
edness of the Righteous, as well as adverted to by Mr. 
Baxter in several of his practical works. But the earliest 
regular treatise on this subject it has been my lot to 
meet with, was the production of Mr. Towman, an emi- 
nent non-conformist divine. In his dissertation on moral 
impotence, as he styles it, he has anticipated the most 
important arguments of succeeding writers, and has 
evinced, throughout, a most masterly acquaintance with 
his subjects This work is mentioned in terras of high 
respect by Nelson, in his Life of Bishop Bull, who re- 
marks, that his thoughts were original, and that he had 
hit upon a method of defending Calvinism against the 
objections of Bull and of others, peculiar to himself. 
His claim to perfect originality, however, was not so 
well founded as Nelson supposed. Since his time the 
subject has been fully discussed by the celebrated Jona- 
than Edwards, in his treatise on th« Will, and the dis- 
tinction defended with all th-e depth and precision pe- 
culiar to that amazing genius. 

Another principle assumed as a basis by the high Cal- 
vinists, is, that the same things cannot be the duty ot 
man, and th« gift of God : or, in other words, that what 
is matter of promise, can on no occasion, be the matter 

* This truth is lost sight of by those preachers among us, -who asseit 
** that it is as easy to give up the afifectioiis to God as it is to rise from our 
seat." The difference in nature between physical and mora} inability > 
'does not destroy the reality of either : the latter is as rtal as the former' 
.and may be as absolute* Ed, 



XX 

of obligation. The Scriptures frequently affirm faith 
and repentance to be the gifts of God ; hence it is con- 
cluded that they cannot be obligatory on the unregene- 
rate ; a conclusion diametrically opposed to innumera- 
ble passages in the Old and New Testament, which 
insist, in the most peremptory style, on true conversion 
and a lively faith, as the most essential duties, which 
other passages are equally express in exhibiting as mat- 
ter of promise. £ new heart will I give them, says the 
Lord by Ezekiel, and a new spirit will I put within 
them, and I will take away the heart of stone, and give 
them a heart of flesh. The same prophet cries, Make 
you a new heart, for why will ye die, house of Israel f 
in exact accordance with the language of St. James, 
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, 
ye double-minded. The burden of our Saviour's minis- 
try, as well as that of his forerunner, was, Repent, for 
the kingdom of God is at hand ; while St. Peter, who 
perfectly knew the genius of Christianity, affirms that 
Christ is exalted to give repentance and the remission of 
sills. Circumcise your hearts, said Moses,^ and he no 
longer stiff-necked : the same Moses had been previously 
commissioned to declare, The Lord thy God shall cir- 
cumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed. Now the 
circumcision of the heart we are taught by St. Paul in 
his Epistle to the Romans, to regard as the distinguish- 
ing feature of the truly regenerate — of him who is a 
Jew inwardly f whose praise is not of man, but of God. 
Whoever impartially weighs the import of these Scrip- 
tures, must be convinced that the same things are, in 
fact, matter of command, and the subject of promise, and 
must, consequently, be prepared to acquiesce in the de- 
cision of infinite wisdom on this subject, however much 



lie may be at a loss to explain or account for it. The 
consistency of the promises and of the commands in 
question, arises Ironi the matter of each being of a 
moral nature. If we will allow ourselves to reflect, we 
shall perceive that the will, and the will only, is the 
proper object of command, and that an agent is no other- 
wise accountable, or susceptible of moral government, 
than as he is the subject of voluntary powers : we shall 
also perceive that the disordered state of the will, or the 
radical indisposition of an agent to comply with legiti* 
mate commands, which is the same thing, by no means 
exempts him from their obligation, nor tends in the least 
degree to render the addressing such commands to him 
absurd or improper. That they will not be complied 
with, while that disordered state subsists, is true : but 
legitimate commands, enforced by proper sanctions, are 
amongst the strongest motives ; that is, they tend in 
their own nature to incline the will, and therefore they 
cannot be withheld, without virtually rehnquishing the 
claim of authority and dominion. This may suffice to 
evince the propriety of issuing commands, notwithstand- 
ing the known and radical indisposition to comply ; 
or, which comes to the same thing, whatever be the 
state of the will. With respect to the other side of the 
supposed contradiction, what can be plainer than that 
the will, as well as every other faculty of the mind, is 
under divine control, and that God can with infinite 
ease, in what instances, and in what manner he please, 
so change and modify it, as to induce a prompt and 
cheerful compliance with his requisition ? VVhat should 
prevent him, at whose disposal are the hearts of the 
mightiest of men, to make his people icilling in the day 
of his power ? 



XXll 

It is instructive, as well as amusing, to trace the 
coincidence which is often found betwixt systems 
which appear at first view at the utmost variance from 
each other. The grosser Arminians and Pelagians con- 
tend, that it is the duty of all men to repent and believe, 
because all possess an inherent power of so doing, with- 
out special or supernatural assistance. The high Cal- 
vinists, on the contrary, deny that any man in a state of 
unregeneracy is under an obligation to perform those 
duties, because they are not possessed of the requisite 
ability. Thus both concur in making moral ability the 
measure of obligation; a position which, when the 
terms are accurately defined and cleared of their am- 
biguity, conducts us to this very extraordinary conclu- 
sion, that men are obliged to just as much of duty as 
they are incHned to. On these, and other points con- 
nected with them, the reader, if we are not mistaken, 
will find much solid instruction in the following Treatise, 
accompanied with such a constant attention to the great 
end of theological discussion, the promotion of practical 
piety, as can scarcely fail of affording high satisfaction 
to serious minds. To this Treatise, and to another on a 
similar subject, by my excellent and judicious friend, 
Mr. Fuller, the Dissenters in general, and the Baptists 
in particular, are under great obligations, for emancipa- 
ting them from the fetters of prejudice, and giving free 
scope to the publication of the gospel. By these means 
a considerable revolution has been effected in the senti- 
ments of the denomination to which I have the honor to 
belong : the excrescences of Calvinisna have been cut 
off; the points of defence have been diminished in num- 
ber, and better fortified; truth has shone forth with 
brighter lustre, and the ministry of the gospel been ren- 
dered more si^nple, more practical, and more efficacious. 



XXllI 

In reply to such as may object to the metaphysical 
subtlety which pervades some parts of the following 
Treatise, I would avail myself of the distinction admira- 
bly illustrated by the author of the Light of Nature 
pursued.* He observes, that although metaphysical 
reasoning rarely, if ever, conduces to the discovery of 
truth, it is of great advantage in the detection of sophis- 
try ; and that the mist and confusion in which moral 
subjects have been involved, by crude and undigested 
metaphysics, can only be exploded by the temperate use 
of that which is true and genuine ; so that the chief 
praise of metaphysics is the cure of its own ills, the 
repair of the mischief which itself has wrought. The 
reader will observe, that the author employs metaphysics,- 
not to rear the fabric of truth, which can only be effected 
by a profound deference to inspiration, but to demolish 
a rotten superstition which conceals its beauty. For the 
want of elegance or polish, discernible in the following 
sheets, it will be sufficient apology to inform the reader, 
that the author, destitute of the advantages of early 
education, had no other resources to depend upon, in 
his religious inquiries, than what were derived from the 
vigor of his understanding, and his unbiassed integrity 
of heart. Had he enjoyed the benefit of literary cul- 
ture, he would have undoubtedly written in a style and 
manner more adapted to gain the attention of the supe- 
riar classes : whether his reasoning would have been 
more cogent, or his method of handling his subject better 
fitted for the instruction of plain serious Christians, for 
whose benefit he principally laboured, is more question- 
able. 

* Abraham Tuck«r, 



XXIV 

Gratitude and veneration compel me to add, that 
with all the imperfections of the work, and the disadvan- 
tages under which the author of it labored, I shall ever 
esteem it one of the greatest favors an indulgent Provi- 
dence has conferred upon me, to have possessed such a 
father, whom in all the essential features of character it 
will be my humble ambition to imitate, though con- 
scious it must ever be 

J laud passibus acquis. 

R. H. 
Sept, 1824. 



HELP 



TO 



ZION'S TRAVELLERS, &c. 



ISAIAH, Ivii. 14. 



Cast ye upy cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the 
stumbling-block out of the way of my people. 

These words seem to have been tbe language 
of those who in a time of general declension 
adhered to God and religion, and in every difficul- 
ty and danger trusted in the Lord, being encour- 
aged by his precious promisesj as mentioned in the 
preceding verse. Knowing, by mournful experi- 
ence, the various obstacles and intricacies which 
annoy and perplex the heavenly traveller in times 
of distress and obscurity, they are represented as 
saying, on behalf of the discouraged and entangled, 
to those who were employed in the ways of Ziou, 
Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, &c. 

Whether the text be considered as historical, or 
prophetical, as a relation of what was the request 
of the godly in the days of the prophet, or a pre- 
C 



26 HELP TO ZIOn's TRAVELLERS. 

diction of what would be solicited in some future 
period, it is evident from the words that the people 
of God are represented as on a journey, seeking a 
better country, which is an heavenly ; therefore are 
frequently called strangers, and pilgrims on the 
earth ; that the way in which they are to walk is 
not at all times easy to be discovered ; and when 
obscurity attends the path, hesitation prevents a 
progress. Hence the servants of the Lord are call- 
ed upon to cast up and prepare the way, to render 
it more visible and obvious to every spiritual pas- 
senger, to see that it be raised or elevated, and 
thereby rendered safe, even when floods of perse- 
cution and temptation abound, and made as plain 
as possible, by the removal of everything tending 
to injure the weak or benighted traveller: there- 
fore it is added, Take up the stumbling-block out 
of the way of my people. This desire, this request 
seems to be represented as the personal and united 
wish of every good man, whether in the days of 
the prophet, or in future periods of time. For thus 
saith the Lord, " He that putteth hi^ trust in me 
— shall say. Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the 
way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way 
of my people." 

Though stumbling-block is mentioned only in 
the singular, as if pointing to some one danger or 
difficulty to be removed, yet it is evident from 
Scripture^ that various things are so denominated ; 
but ihe singular number only being used in the 
words, may denote the dreadful nature and dan- 



HELP TO ZIOn's TRAVELLERS. 27 

gerous tendency of the doctrine and practice of 
idolatry, which was the stumbling-block Balaam 
taught Balak to cast before the children of Israel, 
and against which the prophet in this chapter had 
been bearing his testimony. The doctrine of idol- 
atry in its different forms has been, and continues 
to be, a fatal stumbling-block to many : hence the 
church of Pergamos was censured for keeping iQ 
her community them that held the doctrine of 
Balaam. Rev. ii. 14. Again, if the text be consid- 
ered as the language of every believer, it may re- 
fer to, or include, whatever was or may be found 
of a stumbling nature to each of them. The ex- 
periences of Christians are very different respect- 
ing what is, or has been, to them of a trying, per- 
plexing nature ; and as each Christian is ready to 
fear what has been the principal stumbling-block 
to him may be the same to others, it is natural to 
suppose, that as every heart knows its own bitter- 
ness, each tried believer would thus express him- 
self, and in reference to his own experience, say, 
"Take the stumbling-block out of the way of my 
people." 

Besides, as there is often a prevalence of various 
errors in different periods, and distinct places; so, 
what is injurious to the people of God, as a pre- 
vailing stumbling-block in theii* way, is variable, 
according to the methods taken to obscure, mis- 
represent, or oppose the solemn and sacred truths, 
which God has graciously revealed in his word 5 



28 HELP TO ZION's TRAVELLERS. 

or lessen their genuine influence and native ten- 
dency, as recorded in the holy Scriptures. 

From these considerations we may infer, that 
though the text speaks in the singular number, 
yet the servants of the Lord must expect to have 
various things of a stumbling nature to remove, 
according to the different exercises of the saints, 
or the injury done to truth at different times, and 
by different persons. 

The ministers of Christ are set for the defence 
of the gospel, and are appointed to help the faith 
and joy of those who have believed through 
grace. And as this is a day in which errors of 
various kinds abound, a day of gloominess and 
perplexity to many sincere Christians who desire 
to know the truth as it is in Jesus, to be devoted 
to him through life, as well as found in him at 
death ; for the sake of such I would endeavor, as 
the Lord shall help, to remove some of those 
stumbling-blocks, which lie in their way, relating 

to DOCTRINAL, EXPERIMENTAL and PRACTICAL 
RELICflON. 



DEITY OF CHRIST. 29 

PART I. 

DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

CHAPTER I. — THE DEITY OF CHRIST. 

Respecting doctrinal difficulties, we may ob- 
serve the most common and artful methods taken 
by many to overturn the soul-supporting truth of 
Christ's divinity. It is only from the sacred Scrip- 
tures we can have information respecting the per- 
son and work of our precious Redeemer : to these 
he appealed in the days of his flesh, saying, Search 
the Scriptures, for they testify of me : but with 
what deceitfulness is the word of God handled by 
many, when the person of Christ is the subject of 
inquiry! [Instances might easily be multiplied; 
but I shall mention only the following.] 

1. Some, in order to overthrow his claim to 
divinity, and the supreme love of his people, have 
collected a number of passages of Scripture, 
which plainly declare his inferiority to God : from 
which they infer, with an appearance of gravity 
and good will to truth, that as Scripture is evi- 
dently consistent with itself, he therefore who is 
therein declared to be inferior to deity, cannot 
possibly be divine. But a little attention is suffi- 
cient to discover that art is substituted in the 
room of argument, and sophistry occupies the 



30 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

place of sense. Every good man will rejoice in 
the harmony and consistency of divine revelation, 
and readily allow that inferiority and equality are 
opposites, and that in the sense in which Christ is 
spoken of as inferior, he is not, cannot be equal 
w^ith God. 

But as in the person of Christ two distinct na- 
tures are united, in consequence of which he is 
Immanuel, God with us; therefore it does not fol- 
low, because he has a nature inferior to God, yea, 
even to angels, that his superior nature is not 
properly divine. Ten thousand testimonies in 
proof of his humanity do not in the least degree 
enervate his claim to deity : a very small attention 
to the subject under consideration, is sufficient to 
discover the fallaciousness of such reasoning as 
the above. For those who maintain the divinity 
of the blessed Saviour, as firmly believe him to be 
properly man,^ as they do who deny him to be 
God over all. 

It is our unspeakable felicity, that the Son of 
God was sent into the world as a Mediator, to 

* The doctrine of Sabellianism, viz ; That Christ's body 
was truly human ; but was animated by the inhabitation 
of Deity, as the bodies of men are by that of their souls, 
is often adopted by worthy Christians through mere 
want of reflection. It may be accounted for, from the 
fact, that the full humanity of the Redeemer is, per- 
haps, less frequently insisted on from the pulpits of 
Trinitarians, than ils importance, and its obviousness ia 
the sacred writings, would seem to require. Ed. 



DEITY OF CHRIST. 



31 



make peace between Jehovah in his public char- 
acter as a governor, and rebelHous men, that the 
Lord God might dwell among them, and they 
with him. In order to accomplish which, it was 
necessary he should assume human nature, and 
dwell among us. To reconcile God and man, it 
was needful he should be a middle person^ possess- 
ing the nature of both, and as equally interested in 
favor of each party, be able to establish Heaven's 
righteous claim, and raise self-ruined man to a 
state of safety, dignity, and delight. 

Considered as a complex person, he kindly 
condescended to act on our behalf in office ca- 
pacity, as if inferior to Deity. For as Mediator he 
acted as under the direction and commission of 
his Father ; and as such, was God's servant, though 
his Son ; therefore said, of himself he could do 
nothing: not through the want of ability, but 
being under official obligationi to adhere to his 
Father's directions; Though an ambassador can 
do nothing of himself, but is bound in duty to act 
in all things in cdRformity to his instructions, yet 
it is not from thence inferable that his nature, 
ability, or mental powers, are inferior to those of 
his sovereign ; for the restriction or limitation is 
not the effeet of personal debility, but of office 
capacity. The blessed Jesus is therefore not only 
inferior to God as man, but as Mediator ; never- 
theless, inferiority in office does not prove, nor 
imply, an inferiority of nature. Nay, on the con- 
trary, the errand on which he came, and the work 



32 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

assigned him to perform, were so infinitely im- 
portant, awful, and arduous, that he could not 
have discharged his trust without the power and 
penetration of Deity. Hence he appealed to his 
works in proof of his divine mission, likewise as 
evidences of his fihal relation to God, in such a 
sense as exposed him to the charge of blasphemy, 
had he not been properly divine : John x. 24—38. 
His true dignity as a divine person being infer- 
able from what he did, his enemies were on that 
account inexcusable, because bis works sufficiently 
demonstrated to every honest inquiring mind, 
who he was, as well as from whence he came ; 
though it was inconsistent with his then state of 
humiliation and debasement, to allow the glories 
of divinity to shine forth in their native lustre and 
infinite splendour : hence he repeatedly charged 
his friends not to publish to the world who he was, 
till after his resurrection from the dead. That he 
was a man, his enemies knew as well as his dis- 
ciples; yea, some of them thought him to be the 
promised Messiah, and said one to another. This 
is the heir, let us kill him : but as a divine person 
they knew him not ; for, had they known him, 
they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. 
For the principal charge brought against him, and 
for which he was condemned, was, that, being a 
man, he made himself equal with God ; John v. 18. 
Chap. xix. 7. 

If Christ exposed himself to death through am- 
biguity, how did he witness a good confession at 



DEITY OF CHRIST. 33 

Pilate's bar? If he did not mean an equality with 
God, which the Jews thought he did, strange that 
his regard to truth did not lead to an explanation 
of what he intended. 

It is no wonder that priests and others in that day 
of prevalent ignorance and perverseness, should 
have a secret conviction ofhis office capacity as Mes- 
siah, without an idea of his divinity, seeing, some 
under the profession of gospel ministers, acknowl- 
edge and plead for his divine mission, and yet op- 
pose and reject with contempt the idea of his 
being a divine person. 

How kind and wonderful the condescension of 
the blessed Jesus, that he should stoop to take 
upon him human nature (not as when in its orig- 
inal dignity, but in its debased state) in order to 
suffer, and serve, in favour of those who would, he 
knew, on that very account, rob him of his repu- 
tation, as a divine person ! It is mournful to think 
he should be despised on earth for that, on the ac- 
count of which he is admired in heaven. 

Consider the complex capacity of the adorable 
Jesus as God, and as man, with his acting as Me- 
diator, in consequence of such an union of dis- 
tinct natures, and then the Scripture account of 
his inferiority and subjection to the divine Father 
will appear quite consonant with the doctrine of 
his true and proper divinity ; and the stumbling- 
block aforesaid be totally removed. But when the 
aforesaid [difficulty] is removed, behold another is 



34- DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

with equal art thrown in the way of the ignorant 
and unwary, which is 

2. A perversion of the terms used in treating 
of this important subject. In consequence of such 
unwarrantable, not to say unmanly craft, the unity 
of the divine essence is represented to be so evi- 
dently inconsistent with a plurality of divine per- 
sons, as if it was universally agreed to consider 
them as absolute contradictions, and to convey ir- 
reconcileable ideas ; whereas it is very well known 
that those who believe the divinity of the blessed 
Jesus (and the Holy Ghost) as firmly maintain the 
unity of the divine essence, or that there is only one 
God, as they do who oppose a plurality of divine 
persons. Yet things are so represented as if they 
and the Trinitarians agreed in that about which 
they differ, and again as if they differed about that 
in which they are agreed ; for the consistency be- 
tween a plurality of persons in the one divine 
essence, is the very thing for which those contend 
who believe the divinity of Christ. And that 
there is but one living and true God, both parties 
unite and agree in acknowledging. The doctrines 
of unity in the divine essence, and a plurality of 
persons, are in their very nature distinct, and 
ought never to be confounded. But that they are 
opposites and inconsistent in reference to God, 
has not yet been proved, and I believe never will. 
But though the adversaries of Christ's divinity 
oppose the one to the other, as if they were allowed 
contrarieties ; yet, by and by, they w ill treat thosQ 



DEITT OF CHRIST. 35 

very terms by which the doctrines are distin- 
guished, as if they were intended to express the 
same thing, or convey similar ideas. Hence, if the 
essence of God be the subject treated of, the term 
person is immediately substituted, as if synony- 
mous with that of essence, and then with an air of 
triumph it is inferred, that. If God he one, he is not 
two or three. Again, if the doctrine of divine ^er- 
sonality be the matter of immediate consideration, 
and scriptural jjroofs be adduced in support of a 
plurality of persons truly c^iri/ie, behold the idea of 
essence is by them substituted in the room of per- 
son, and unity instead af plurality, and by the help 
of such a substitution and perversion of terms, and 
shuffle of ideas, they very gravely exclaim against 
Tritheism, i. e. the doctrine of three Gods. As the 
friends of Christ's divinity never assert God to be 
thj-ee in the sense in which he is one, nor one in the 
same sense in which he is three, but perpetually dis- 
tinguish between a plurality of persons and the 
unity of God, the methods taken as aforesaid are 
disingenuous, contemptible, mean, and even be- 
neath notice, were it not that thereby inattentive 
minds are imposed upon, the opposition to the 
Redeemer's dignity is supported, and weak Chris- 
tians are stumbled. 

It is evident, however, beyond contradiction, 
that according to the Scriptures there was a plu- 
rality of persons antecedent to creation ; for in the 
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with 
God, and the Word was God, the same was in the 



36 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

beginning with God: all things were made by 
him, and without him, was not any thing made 
that was made ; John i. 1,2, 3: that glorious per- 
son who was with God was therefore distinct from 
him with whom he was, and yet of the same 
nature, being one in essence with the Father. 
For the word was God, and that Jesus Christ is 
intended by the Word who was in the beginning 
with God, and the author of creation, is plain from 
verse 10. He was in the world, and the world 
was made by him. Again, verse 14, The Word 
was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we be- 
held his glory^ the glory as of the only begotten of 
the Father, full of grace and truth. As he was 
before all things, so by him all things consist; 
Col. i. 17. He was with the Father from everlast- 
ing, and all that is done in time is according to 
the eternal purpose which the Father purposed 
in him. Hence God chose his people in him, 
committed them to his care in the everlasting 
covenant, and promised eternal life in him before 
the world began. Many instances might be given 
of Christ's existence before his incarnation, as he 
said, Before Abraham was, I am ; John viii. 58. 
The plural pronouns used in Scripture by the 
great Eternal when speaking of acts, authority, 
and properties peculiar to Deity, are striking 
proofs of a plurality of persons in one essence. 
God said. Let us make man in our image, after 
our likeness ; Gen. i. 26. Behold the man is be- 
come like one of us ; chap. iii. 22. Let us go 



DEITY OF CHRIST. 37 

down and confound their language : chap. xi. 7. 
Whom shall I send, who will go for us ? Isaiah, 
vi. 8. And respecting all other objects of worship, 
Jehovah's language is, Produce your cause, saith 
the Lord, bring forth your strong reasons, saith 
the King of Jacob ; let them show the former 
things what they be, that we may consider them. 
Or declare us things to come, that we may know 
that ye are gods; yea, do good or do evil, that we 
may be dismayed, and behold it together. Isaiah 
xli. 21, 22, 23. Again, to stain the pride of man 
and curb human arrogance, he asserts his divine 
prerogative in the following solemn and instruc- 
tive interrogations. Who hath declared from the 
beginning that we may know ? And before time, 
that we may say he is righteous ? I beheld, and 
there was no man, no counsellor, that when I 
asked them could answer a word ; Isaiah, xli. 
26, 28. From these and many more instances 
which might be produced, it is evident, that there 
is a plurality of persons in the one eternal God, 
even the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, 
and that these three are one. In the name of 
- which sacred three the holy ordinance of baptism 
was ordered to be administered. 

The adversaries of Christ's divinity being con- 
scious, that the Scriptures treat of a plurality of 
persons employed in creation, &c. and lest the 
artful manner of treating the argument respect- 
ing person and essence as aforesaid should not 
block up the way leading to the divine glories of 



38 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

Jesus, have invented another stumbling-block to 
render the path of faith in Christ's divinity quite 
innpassable, which is [to advocate] 

3. The pre-existence of Christ's soul. It is 
acknowledged son:ie have maintained this senti- 
ment without any designed injury to the doctrine 
of the Trinity. But it is equally evident that 
some of the most virulent enemies of Christ's di- 
vine personality, find it impossible to give their 
scheme of opposition even the appearance of con- 
sistency, but as aided by the aforesaid hypothesis; 
therefore great pains have been taken to render it 
plausvble, in consequence of which it has proved 
a stumbling-block to some. 

But that it was not a human soul which existed 
with the Father before time, and which made the 
world, and to which God spake, saying. Let us 
make man, &c. &c. but his own infinitely glo- 
rious Son, will appear, if the following things be 
duly considered. He who was with the Father, 
was with him from everlasting, rejoicing always 
before him, and whose goings forth have been 
from of old, from everlasting ; Mic. v. 2, and who 
should be called, though clothed with humanity, 
the everlasting Father, the mighty God ; Isaiah 
ix. 6. But it is absurd to suppose a creature to 
have existed hefore time began. Every creature 
once was not ; to suppose a creature always to 
have been, is to form an idea of a creature which 
was never created; all things were made by Je- 
sus Christ, without him nothing was made that 



DEITY OF CHRIST. 39 

was made ; but according to the aforesaid opin- 
ion, there was a creature made which Jesus 
Christ was no way concerned in the formation 
of; for a creature cannot be thought to have 
created itself, without absurdly supposing it to 
have been before it was, to exist prior to its ex- 
istence, or to act whilst it was nothing, in order to 
be son^ething — the above absurdities are unavoid- 
able : if the Scripture account of the creation (as 
the production of a plurality of persons) be credit- 
ed, and the divinity of Christ be denied. 

As a soul could not create itself, so neither 
could it be the author of the other parts of the 
creation, which Jesus Christ is positively declared 
to be- For by him were all things created that 
are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and 
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, 
principalities, or powers : all things were created 
by him and for him; Col. i. 16. If a human soul 
be the author of creation, various creatures would 
be above their Creator. Angels, for instance, 
would be superior to their Maker, and excel him 
in strength; for man (which Christ is asserted 
only to be) is naturally inferior to those celestial 
spirits. Thou madest him a little lower than the 
angels; which supposes the angels were, when 
his humanity was made ; Heb. ii. 7. The ac- 
knowledgment of Christ as Creator, renders the 
denial of his proper divinity inexcusable, and saps 
the foundation of not only revealed, but natural re- 
ligion : for, if Jesus be the former of all things. 



40 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

the invisible things of him from the creation of 
the world are clearly seen, being understood by 
the things that are made, even his eternal power 
and Godhead, so that they are without excuse 
who glorify him not as God. Rom. i. 20, 21. 
Some assert that Christ was only an instrument 
in creation ; but the work of creation was of such 
a nature as to exclude the idea of an instrumental 
creator. An instrument, if concerned at all, must 
have been employed either before or after the pro- 
duction of being, for there was no medium. Not 
before, because prior to creation there was not any 
thing existing for an instrument to act upon, or to 
be employed about. Not after^ because when a 
creature does exist, it is too late for an instrument 
to be employed in producing it. Nothing short of 
infinite agency could possibly be concerned in 
creation ; the persons so engaged were properly 
divine, and essentially one. However, that there 
was no instrument concerned is beyond all dis- 
pute, if what Jehovah says be duly regarded ; for 
he declares there was none such with him. Prov. 
viii. ; Mic. v. 2. Thus saith the Lord thy Re- 
deemer, and be that formed thee from the womb ; 
I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretch- 
ed out the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad 
the earth by myself. Isaiah xhv. 24. Which 
ALONE spreadeth out the heavens. Job ix. 8. 
Hence it appears, that though there were distinct 
persons employed in creation, yet they were so 



DEITY or CHRIST. 41 

united as to be included in the one all-creating 
Jehovah. 

4. To render the scheme of opposition to 
Christ's divinity more consistent, and the idea of 
the sonl existing before time, instead of the Son 
of God, less exceptionable ; it has been thought 
proper to exclude the body from being an essen- 
tial constituent part of a rnan. Such an exclu- 
sion to be sure was a happy thought, and quite 
necessary ; for without it the all-creating creature 
would not have been properly either God, angel, 
or man. But that it might be considered as be- 
longing to some scale or class of being, " It is 
asserted to be a proper human person, a true and 
real man, the body being only a temporary cover- 
ing for, but not a constituent part of, human na- 
ture." But this method of depreciating the divine 
glories of the blessed Jesus will prove abortive, if 
the Scripture account of human nature be attend- 
ed to; and without doubt he who made man 
could best describe him. From the sacred pages 
we learn, that the Lord God formed man of the 
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils 
the breath of life, and man became a living soul ; 
Gen. ii. 7 : and that the rib, which the Lord God 
had taken from man, made he a woman ! and 
Adam said. She shall be called woman, because 
she was taken out of man. Again, to Adam as a 
transgressor, the Lord said, Dust thou art, and 
unto dust shalt thou return; Gen. iii. 19. Man 
shall return again to dust. Now as the soul was 
D 



42 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

not formed of the dust, nor the rib of which Eve 
was made, taken out of the soul; but the rib from 
the body, nnd the body from the ground; there- 
fore the body must be a constituent part of man^ 
for the body only returns to dust, and yet the 
Lord says, man shall return thither. Job xxxiv. 
15. Again : the personal name of man is often 
given to the body, which would be improper if the 
body w^as not a part of the person. Jacob in his 
affecting lamentation says, Joseph is without 
doubt rent in pieces. I will go down into the 
grave unto my son mourning: thus his father 
wept for him. Gen. xxxvii. 33, 35. It was not the 
toul, but the body of his son which he concluded 
was torn asunder ; nor his own soul, but his 
body, that would go down to the grave. And 
w^hen the same patriarch was near death, he 
charged his sons, saying, Bury me with my 
fathers; in such a cave which he described ; add- 
ing, there they buried Abraham and Sarah his 
wife;; there they buried Isaac and Rebecca his 
wife, and there I buried Leah. Gen. xlix. 29, 31. 
And that the body of Christ was an essential 
part of his humanity, is evident from what the 
angel said to his weeping friends. He is not here, 
he is risen : Come, see the place where the Lord 
lay. Matt, xxviii. 6. But if the body was no 
proper constituent part of his manhood, Ae never 
lay in the grave; nor did he ever me from the 
dead, for Jie did not die. They did not nail him 
to the tree ; the whole account of his corporal 



DEITY OF CHRIST. 43 

sufferings is a mere fiction, if it be true, that his 
body was not a proper constituent part of himself. 
In a word, there never will be a resurrection of 
any man, if bodies are not essential to human na- 
ture, and this world of men are quite as invisible 
to each other as the world of angels are [to them.] 
According to ihat notion, the sight of a man is a 
singular rarity. That a soul can exist without a 
body is readily allowed, but such a separate ex- 
istence is the effect o^ death ; and can it be thought 
reasonable that Christ's first existence should be a 
state similar to that of the dead? Once more, on 
such a supposition Christ could not be the son of 
man in any sense, because his soul is said to exist 
before all men f and his body not a part of his 

^ From a conviction of the singular absurdity attend- 
ing the supposition of a creature existing from eternity, 
some have boldly asserted that everlasting from which 
Christ is said to exist, only intends a measurable period, 
and therefore does not convey the idea of eternity, or 
unlimited duration. It is granted that by the term ever- 
lasting and eternal likewise, sometimes is intended no 
more than a very distant period, but that is not their 
native primary signification. But the natural meaning 
of the word is a perpetual existence or infinite duration. 
Hence we read, The eternal God is thy refuge, and un- 
derneath are the everlasting arms : Deut. xxxiii. 27. 
Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord, my God ? Hab. 
i. 12. If it be said the existence of Christ is limited, as 
being only from everlasting, or ever the earth was, and 
that, before the mountains were brought forth, or the 



44 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

humanity. But he was the son of David, a des- 
cendant of Abraham, as the Scriptures assert, and 
as the apostle to the Hebrews said, " It is evident 
our Lord sprung out of Judah ;" Ileb. vii. 14. To 
conclude ; the incarnation of Christ was not only 
considered by the great apostle as an instance of 
infinite condescension, but admired by him and 
every believer in his day, as being in its nature 
really inexplicable, and truly mysterious ; they did 
not dispute the factj though they could not con- 
ceive how divinity and humanity were united in 
one person ; but rejoiced in, and steadily support- 
ed, its reality as the pillar and ground of the 
truth. "Without controversy, great is the mys- 
tery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh :'* 
1 Tim. iii. 15, 16. "The Word" which "was 
God," "was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us." 
But if Christ be only a man, or a mere creature, 
the wonder ceases, for it cannot be thought a 



highest part of the dust, were qualifying terms tending 
to establish a limited idea, therefore though Christ was 
from everlasting, yet not eternal ; we answer, the Holy 
Ghost has taken care to guard his people against 
sophistry so dishonoring to Christ : for Moses, the 
Man of God, when treating on Jehovah's eternity, and 
human mortality, says, Before the mountains were 
brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and 
the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art 
Gt)d; Psal. xc. 2. Again, thy throne is of old, thou 
art from everlasting ', Psal. xciii. 2. See Mich. v. 2. 



DEITI OF CHRIST. 43 

thing singular and surprising for a human soul to 
possess a body ; uor for God to manifest himself 
to a holy creature, and employ in his service a good 
man. It is truly lamentable and really astonishing 
that any who wish to be saved by Jesus, should 
endeavour to sink his character and diminish his 
dignity : Yea, rejoice in hope of proving the Sa- 
viour infinitely unworthy of their supreme love 
and delight. You happy souls who need, know 
and esteem the Redeemer, as infinitely powerful, 
and divinely precious — oh, pity the condition, and 
dread the deception, of such, whose peace and 
pleasure rise high in consequence of the Saviour 
sinking low in their esteem. Pray for them, and 
take heed lest you also be tempted ; and [labor] that 
your own faith may be firm in, and your love fer- 
vent to, the infinitely glorious and lovely Redeem- 
er. Consider and frequently contemplate the 
proofs of his [)roper divinity, as recorded in the sa- 
cred volume : such as the properties of which he 
is possessed, the work he has performed, the wor- 
ship he has received from angels and men, the 
divine names and titles which are given him, the 
honors ascribed to him, the unlimited confi- 
dence placed in him by good men in every age, 
and the claims which are made by him ; for he, 
who was never the subject of arrogance, thought 
it not robbery to be equal with God ; Phil. ii. 6. 
May the Lord grant that every reader may search 
the Scriptures which testify of Jesus, with godly 
sincerity and gospel simplicity. To the upright, 



46 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

light shall rise in darkness. I might greatly en- 
large ; but it is hoped, that the above considera- 
tions may serve through the Divine blessing to re- 
move the common difficulties respecting the true 
knowledge of, and faith in, the Redeemer's dignity 
as a person properly divine. My heart's desire is, 
that all the saints may be brought to rejoice in Je- 
sus, as the mighty God, the Alpha and Omega, the 
first and the last, which is, and which was, and 
which is to come, the Almighty, Rev. i. 8. 



CHAPTER 11. 

Difficulties concerning the Love of God, 

That Jehovah changeth not, is a self-evident 
truth, a scripture axiom. " With him there is no 
variableness, nor shadow of turning." Being per- 
fection itself, therefore the properties of his nature, 
and purposes of his will, are absolutely unalterable. 
What he has determined, shall be done. "He is 
of one mind, and who can turn him? For the 
counsel of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts 
of his heart to all generations, and to Zion he 
says, he will rest in his love. He will rejoice over 
her with singing, for having loved his own which 
were in the world, he loved them unto the end.'^ 
Notwithstanding the above and such like solemn 
declarations made by the God of truth, such ob- 
jections have been raised against the unchangea- 



ON LOVE TO GOD. 47 

bleness of Jehovah's love, as greatly to perplex and 
stumble some who are evidently the distinguished 
objects of it. 

As v^^rong conclusions may be drawn from prin- 
ciples which are unexceptionably right, so I ap- 
prehend many of those things are indisputable 
facts from whence the changeable nature of God's 
love is inferred ; and indeed, it seems his people 
are more agreed in their primary principles, than 
in their conclusions. In the former there may be a 
happy union, though in the latter they widely differ, 
and cast stumbling-blocks in each other's way. 
For the exemplification and removal of which, as 
relating to the doctrine of divine love, it may be 
proper to observe, that creatures who are now the 
objects of God's indignation, were once loved by 
him ; those infernal spirits who kept not their first 
estate, though now the abhorred of the Lord, were, 
while innocent, the objects of his approbation ; and 
the same may be said of man, considered as in bis 
present state of corruption, and his original state 
of perfection as created of God. John i. 1,14; 
Phil. ii. 6, 7. 

It is evident, God could not produce creatures 
morally defective, or disagreeable to himself; they 
were what he willed them to be, i. e. good^ yea, 
ve/n/ good, and as such were loved and delighted 
in, by their Maker. Every creature being Jeho- 
vah's production, therefore no creature was, in its 
original state, the object of his disapprobation : and 
yet many of them are now the declared objects of 



48 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

liis hatred and indignation. From the above self- 
evident facts, it is inferred by some sincere inquir- 
ers after truth, that the love of God is changeable, 
and not invariably fixed on its objects ; which in- 
ference has perplexed many of the people of God, 
and proved a stumbling-block in their way to a 
proper acquaintance with several very important 
truths in divine revelation. From this source va- 
rious errors have proceeded, by which the glorious 
gospel of the grace of God has been beclouded, 
the faith of many Christians staggered, and their 
joy in Jesus and hope of glory greatly diminished. 
But that the above plausible inference is a false 
conclusion, (though drawn from undeniable facts,) 
will I hope be made plainly [to] appear, if we im- 
partially survey the doctrine of Jehovah's love in 
the light of divine revelation. 

The love ofGod, according to the Scriptures, ought 
to be considered [under these distinctions, viz.] as 
Natural and as Sovereign. The righteous 
Lord loveth righteousness, and holiness is his per- 
petual delight. This love arises from the perfec- 
tion and purity of his nature, and has for its object 
his own holy image, as enstamped upon his rational 
creatures ; or in other words, in holy dispositions 
and corresponding acts, the Lord takes pleasure 
and delight. He is of purer eyes than to behold 
iniquity with approbation, or look on holiness with 
disgust. His hatred of sin, and love of purity, are 
not acts of divine sovereignty. Sin is not hateful 
because God willed it should be so, but is odious 



ON THE LOVE OF GOD. 49 

in its own nature to every pure being; and is 
therefore infinitely hateful to an infinitely holy God . 

God does not hate sin, because he has by his law 
forbidden it; but has forbidden it, because it is what 
he loathes, as contrary to his holy nature. Perfect 
conformity to God, and supreme delight in him as 
the chief good, are enforced by God's holy law, 
because of their native excellency and propriety. 
Holiness then, being the object of God's natural 
love, or essential approbation, and sin the reverse, 
it necessarily follows that every unholy creature is 
odious in the sight of God ; therefore a creature 
having lost its purity, ceases to be the object of 
his natural approbation ; yet the alteration is not 
in God, but in the creature, which is become, 
through moral impurity, what he abhors. God's 
natural love is still unalterably fixed on personal 
purity, wherever it is found ; but in reference to a 
polluted creature, love has lost its object, that 
on which it was fixed being quite annihilated or 
destroyed. 

Thus it appears that the various ranks of intelli- 
gent creatures were, in their original condition, 
interested in God's favour. Even those abomina- 
ble beings, called devils, were, while holy, the ob- 
jects of their Maker's love and approbation, as 
well as the angels who continue to shine in holy 
splendour and untainted purity. Though a part 
of the angelic world, and the whole human race, 
have, by their revolt from God, become vile, and 
E 



50 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

cease to be the objects of the Lord's delight, yet 
there is no variableness or change in Jehovah. But, 
to every proper object, " God is love ;" 1 John iv. 
16 ; for God has no aversion to his creatures, simply 
considered as creatures; but on account of their 
moral depravity ; nor does he necessarily love 
them, because they owe tlieir existence to his sov- 
ereign will and almighty power; but as the sub- 
jects of his moral image, which consists in righte- 
ousness and true holiness. As all mankind have 
lost the image of God in which they were created, 
and become base and abominable in his sight, be- 
ing filthy and guilty before him, they must have 
continued in a condition eternally disgustful to 
God, and in a state tremendously terrible to them- 
selves, had not the Lord been pleased to show 
them kindness in a sovereign way ; being gracious- 
ly determined to save w horn he thought proper, 
>vith an everlasting salvation. That love from 
which salvation springs is [not natural but] prop- 
erly sovereign ; [not necessary but] absolutely free. 
None are its objects because they deserved to be 
so, nor was God under any necessity of nature so 
to distinguish them ; but it consisted in a voluntary 
determination to do good to the persons he sover- 
eignly fixed upon as his people, with infinite and 
invariable delight. 

If, then, we consider the voluntary love of the 
great Eternal as distinct from, and yet harmoniz- 
ing with, that [natural and necessai-yXoyo] of which 
we have been treating, difficulties, which other- 



ON THE LOVE OF G01>. 51 

wise are insurmountable, will disappear. That 
love which is essential, or natural to God, has per- 
sonal holiness or pure principles for its invariable 
object. But sovereign love fixed upon personsi 
without a regard had to their dispositions as its 
cause ; which sovereign favour is entirely uninflu- 
ced by their dispositions, and is beautifully illus- 
trated by the Lord's voluntary favor to the person 
of Jacob, and the distinguished special privileges 
enjoyed by his posterity, without respect had to his 
having done either gobd or evil. Jacob have I 
loved, saith the Lord. Rom. ix. 13.^ And Moses, 
speaking of Israel as a chosen people, observes, 
The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor 
choose you because ye were more in number than 
any people, (for ye were the fewest of all people,} 
but because the Lord loved you. Deut. vii. 7, 8. 
Such as it hath pleased the Lord to make his peo- 
ple, 1 Sam. xii. 2*2, may with humble joy and holy 
admiration say, ''Bnhold what manner of love the 
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be 
called the sons of God." IJohniii.l. This sove- 



* The haired of Esau, as opposed to the love of the 
Lord to Jacob, is not to be considered as implying any 
positive indignation to his person as a sinner ; because 
the love and the hatred spoken of, was without their hav- 
ing done either good or evil ; it only intends his not be- 
ing loved as Jacob was. In this sense, hatred is to be 
understood in Deut. xxi. 15 } Luke xxiv. 26 j and John 
xii. 25. 



52 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

reign love of the Lord to his spiritual Israel, set 
apart his own son, Immanuel, as the head of his 
people, and gave their persons to him before the 
world was ; and in time gave him to die for them. 
God sovereignly loved their persons, but abhorring 
their sinful conduct and criminal dispositions, was 
determined to remove that from them which he 
hated in them, and by creating them anew in 
Christ Jesus, or implanting holy and heavenly 
principles in their souls, to make them a holy peo- 
ple, that as such they might become the suitable, 
fit and proper objects of his natural, necessary, and 
essential love ; which, as aforesaid, has holiness 
for its invariable object. Sovereign love having 
their persons only for its objects, without being ex- 
cited by their dispositions, is therefore invariably 
the same, without addition or diminution. Hence 
all that is done for them, and wrought in them, is 
inconsequence of, and according to that great love 
wherewith he loved them, even when they were 
dead in trespasses and sins. This sovereign love is 
the fruit of God's good pleasure, or tlie effect of 
gracious good-will to them. The utility and pro- 
priety of the above distinction, were it sufficiently 
attended to, would appear as bright as the sun in 
a clear meridian. I wish some able pen would un- 
dertake to investigate the subject more fully than 
either my talents or time will admit of. However, 
the few following remarks I hope may be of use to 
weak Christians, for whose sake I write, either to 



ON THE LOVE OF GOD. 53 

rectify their judgments — stimulate their obedience 
— increase their joy, — or relieve their perplexity. 

1. From the sacred oracles it appears, that 
God's necessary hatred to sin is not contrary to his 
sovereign love or gracious intentions to do good to 
his people, even while they are subjects of no 
other dispositions than what he abhors. If sover- 
eign love to the sinner was inconsistent with his 
infinite hatred to sin, who then could be saved? 
For fallen men are, as such, become altogether 
abominable in the eyes of their holy Maker, the 
imagination of their hearts being, while unrenew- 
ed, evil, only evil, and that continually. ''They 
are corrupt, they have done abominable works, 
there is none that doeth good, no not one ;" Psal. 
xiv. 1, 3; compared with Rom. iii. 9, 18. "We 
ourselves also, were sometimes foolish, disobedi- 
ent, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, 
living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one 
another." Tit. iii. 3. They who do such things 
are worthy of death, and likewise those who take 
pleasure in them that do them. Rom. i. 32. "So 
then they that are in the flesh cannot please God ;" 
Rom. viii. 8. Nevertheless, "God commended his 
love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners 
Christ died for us;" Rom. v. 8. "Herein is love, 
not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and 
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins ;" 
1 John iv. 10. " In this was the love of God man- 
ifest." Ver. 9. " Yea, I have loved thee with an 
everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness 



54 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

have I drawn thee ;" Jer. xxxi. 3. Jesus when 
pleading with his Father on behalf of his chosen, 
says, "Thou hast loved them as thou hast loved 
me, and thou lovedst me before the foundation of 
the world." John xvii. 23, 24. "We all had our 
conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh, 
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, 
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as 
others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his 
great love wherewith he loved us, even when we 
were dead in sins, hath (luickened us, &c." Eph. 
ii. 3, 4, 5. Respecting iheiv persons they were lov- 
ed while in their sins ; but [they were] not loved in 
reference to their dispositions. No ; God necessarily 
hated, w^hile he sovereignly loved. " But after that 
the kindness and love of God our Saviour appear- 
ed toward man; not by works of righteousness 
which we have done, but according to his mercy 
he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and 
renewing of the Holy Ghost ;" Tit. iii. 5. Being thus 
the workmanship of God created anew in Christ, 
the church becomes the object of the Lord's neces- 
sary love, or natural delight. As he saith, "I will 
caliber beloved which was not beloved;" Rom. 
ix. 25. 

2. Those who are renewed in the spirit of their 
minds, and possessed of holy principles, and are 
undeniably, as such, the objects of God's natural 
love, yet through sin become the objects of his 
holy displeasure. Nevertheless, that does not sup- 
pose, nor imply any change in Jehovah. Not in his 



ON THE LOVE OF GOD 55 

sovereign good will, [which has regard] to their 
persons, and which is still the same, being the ef- 
fect of his mere good pleasure, and not fixed on 
them because of any good moral quality in them. 
Nor is there any change in his natural love, be- 
cause only holiness is its invariable object. Agree- 
ably to, and in proof of the above, we read that 
though God loved, yet he greatly abhorred Israel, 
and was wroth with his inheritance. Ps. Ixxviii. 
59, 62. Being defiled with their own works, 
therefore was the wrath of the Lord kindled against 
his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own in- 
heritance ;" Ps. cvi.40. "Nevertheless he regard- 
ed them when he heard their cry ;" ver. 44. 
"Yea, mine heritage, saith the Lord, is unto me as 
a lion in the forest, it crieth out against me, there- 
fore / hate it. I hate the dearly beloved of my soul ;" 
Jer. xii. 7, 8. "Thou hast wearied me with thine 
iniquities;" yet sovereign grace breaks forth in Is- 
rael's favor, and Jehovah adds, "1, even I, am he 
that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own 
sake, and will not remember thy sins ;" Isaiah 
xliii. 24, 25. "I knew thou wouldest deal very 
treacherously, and was called a trangressor from 
the womb. Yet, saith the Lord, for my name's 
sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise 
will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off; Isaiah 
xlviii. 8,9. "For the iniquity of his covetousness 
was I wroth and smote him, I hid me and was 
wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his 
heart." And was not the desperate sinner made a 



56 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

dreadful example of Divine displeasure? He must 
have been so, had not free exuberant grace inter- 
posed in his favor, saying, " I have seen his ways, 
and I vs^ill heal him," Isaiah Ivii. 17, 18. Sovereign 
love triumphs in the sinner's salvation, through the 
merits of the Almighty Saviour, in a way which 
displays the infinite purity of Jehovah's nature and 
[his] unmerited favor. Sin gives many a mortal 
wound, but grace provides a cure. 

Thus, from the example of God's conduct to- 
ward backsliding saints, we have striking proofs that 
neither God's natural nor [bis] sovereign love change 
their objects. Holiness is the invariable object of 
the former, and the persons of bis people the ob- 
jects of the latter. I might add, all the good which 
sovereign grace does work, or implant in the hu- 
man heart, meets with God's necessary approba- 
tion in all its genuine operations. He attends to 
the language of penitence with pleasure. He says 
of mourning Ephraim, whom he heard bemoaning 
himself, " My bowels are troubled for him, and I 
earnestly remember him still." With what melting 
pity does he address the soul that seeks for soli- 
tude to lament its doleful condition ? " O my dove, 
thou art in the clefts of the rocks ; let me see thy 
countenance, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is 
thy voice, and thy countenance is comely." Song 
ii. 14. Sovereign love having given sight to the 
soul which was before blind to the beauties of Im- 
manuel, to Jesus it now looks and loves ; and he 
being dehghted with the exercise of grace, says, 



ON THE LOVE OF GOD. 57 

"Thou bast ravished my heart, thou hast ravished 
my heart with one of thine eyes ; how fair is thy 
love, my sister, my spouse ! How much better is 
thy love than wine ; and the smell of thine oint- 
ments than all spices !" Song iv. 10. The produc- 
tions of sovereign grace God naturally loves, and 
therefore takes pleasure in them that fear him, in 
them who hope in his mercy. Psalm cxlvii. 11. 
Once more : 

3. Of that love which is essential to the nature 
of God, good men are not equally the objects ; for as 
no man is its object but in consequence of being 
the subject of holiness, therefore a growth in 
grace, or in holy obedience, will ever meet with 
God's increasing approbation. Christ, as man, 
though ever pure, "increased in favor with God ;" 
Luke ii. 92. " Therefore doth my Father love me 
(said Jesus) because I laid down my life :" John 
X. 17. " lie that loveth me shall be loved of my 
Father, and I will love him. If a man love me, he 
will keep my words, and my Father will love him, 
and we will come unto him, and make our abode 
with him. " John xiv. 21, 23. "For the Father 
himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and 
have believed that I came out from God ;" John 
xvi. 27. " Keep yourselves in the love of God ;" 
Jude, 21st verse- "As the Father hath loved me, 
so have I loved you ; continue ye in my love. If 
ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my 
love, even as I have kept my Father's command- 
ments and abide in his love;" John xv. 9, 10. 



58 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

Though all regenerate persons are evidently the 
equal objects of special sovereign favor, and with 
them, as in Christ, the Lord is well pleased for his 
righteousness' sake ; Isaiah xlii. 21, and their per- 
sons are accepted in the beloved ; yet with many 
of them the Lord is not well pleased, with respect 
to the temper of their hearts, and manner of life. 
See 1 Cor. X. 4, 5 Therefore "only let your con- 
versation be as becometh the gospel of Christ." 
" We beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by 
the Lord Jesus Christ, that as ye have received of 
us how ye ought to walk, and to please God, so ye 
would abound more and more ;" Phil. i. 27. 1 
Thess. iv. 1. " Knowing that your labour shall 
not be in vain in the Lord." ] Cor. xv. 58. " For 
God is not unrighteous to forget your work and 
labor of love ;" Heb. vi. 10.^ From the above we 
may infer: 

1. That the everlasting damnation of those who 
kept not their first estate in which they enjoyed the 



*The meaning of the excellent author, may perhaps 
be more lucidly and connectly presented thus: No man 
is the object of God's natural love, unless he is the sub- 
feet of holiness ; for holiness is the proper and only ob- 
ject of this love ; and every man is thus beloved of God 
in proportion to the degree in which he is holy : but the 
children of God are holy in a great variety of degrees ; 
they are, therefore, in the same variety of degrees, 
the objects of God's natural love. Ed. 



ON THE LOVE OF GOD. 59 

Divine approbation,* does not oppose the unchange- 
able nature of Jehovah's love, nor render the eter- 
nal salvation of his people precarious or uncertain. 

2. How carefully should every saint watch 
against every sin, and strive to grow in perfect 
conformity to his God. True happiness will ever 
be found inseparably connected with real holiness; 
and sin, wherever it is, will invariably remain the 
object of God's displeasure. On the account of 
this he hides his face, and is wroth with his people ; 
and though he pardon them, yet he will take 
vengeance on their inventions ; for whom he lov- 
eth he chasteneth. 

3. How awfully miserable must our condition 
have been, having lost that rectitude of nature in 
which God delighted, had he not proceeded to- 
wards us in a way of sovereign grace, choosing 
us in, and committing our persons to the care of 

* That approbation was his natural, and not his sove- 
reign love : its object was their disyosition, i. e. holiness, 
and not their persons. But this disposi tion they no 
longer possess ; hence he can no longer love it in them : 
yet the change is not in him, but in them. But his peo- 
ple the Lord loves with a sovereign love ; the object of 
this lov8 is their persons, irrespective of their disposi- 
tions. Change, then, in their dispositions (as when they 
backslide,) effects no change in sovereign love ; for it 
takes no cognizance of dispositions. Yet, as we have seen 
above, it deprives thera of God's natural love 3 for their 
fiin is a removal of that holiness which is its proper 
object. Ed. 



DU DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

his own Son, laying our iniquities upon him, and 
punishing^ him for them, and justifying us on his 
account, conveying holiness, pardon and peace, 
through him, to make us pure and spotless before 
his throne ! There, in that world of bliss, God, in 
all his essential glories, will be forever enjoyed the 
same as though sin had never been ; with ad- 
ditional pleasures arising from the amazing infinite 
source of sovereign spontaneous favor. The hearts 
of the redeemed will be ravished, their powers of 
mind animated, and their elevated songs make 
heaven's high arches ring with the joyful acclama- 
tion of, Salvation to our God and the Lamh. A full 
evidence of the infinite desert of sin, which seems 
to be intended by the smoke of the furnace as- 
cending before the throne, will heighten their ad- 
miration of sovereign love, and fill their capacious 
souls with unspeakable joy, profound reverence, 
and holy wonder. 

4. Opposition to the sovereign grace of God 
is truly lamentable. How mournful to think that 
poor condemned criminals should be filled with 
enmity against that, in consequence of which, 
only, salvation can become the object of hope. 

* We cannot entirely approve of the author's phrase- 
ology in this place ; though we have no doubt of the cor- 
rectness of his meaning. Strictly speaking, punishment 
can be inflicted only on the guilty : suffering may fall 
on his substitute. Hence the Scripture says, *' he was 
bruised for our iniquities ;" but nowhere that he was 
punished for them. Ed. 



ON ELECTION. 61 

It is a striking proof of the deceitful and infatu- 
ating nature of sin, and the pride of the human 
heart. 



CHAPTER III. 

THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. 

Some upright minds, being suhject to discour- 
agements through misapprehensions which are 
often the fruit of misrepresentations of truth, I 
shall [now] attend to another subject nearly con- 
nected with the above, at the very name of which 
some professors are startled, though it is fre- 
quently met with in the Scriptures of truth. [This 
subject is the doctrine of Election.] 

1. Election or choice always implies freedom of 
will in the person or persons w-ho choose or elect. 
Constraint or compulsion is incompatible with, and 
opposite to choice, which must be voluntary or 
Dot at all. 

2. Every elector has an end in view, in respect 
of which he makes his choice, or for the accom- 
plishment of which the choice is made. 

3. The person chosen is always considered as 
passive, being entirely at the will of the elector, so 
far as relates to the act of choosing. 

These three ideas are inseparably connected 
"with election, or a proper choice, whatever kind 
of election we refer to, whether made by God or 
man. But some young or weak Christians have 
confused or discouraging ideas of the doctrine 



62 DOCTRINAL DimCULTIES. 

now under consideration, for want of attending 
to the different senses in which the Scriptures 
speak of persons being the chosen, or the elect of 
God. Of this ignorance or inattention the op- 
posers of sovereign grace take the advantage ; 
and in order to perplex or prejudice their minds, 
produce Scripture instances of some who were 
elected^ and nevertheless perished in their sins, 
as there is reason to think Saul and Judas did, 
and yet both of them were chosen of God- Hence 
it is inferred, that as some are lost who were 
elected, therefore election does not secure the 
salvation of those who are chosen, but is of such 
a nature as to leave their future happiness and 
final felicity entirely precarious. As such infer- 
ences as the above, at the first view, wear the ap- 
pearance of truth, it is no wonder that some gra- 
cious persons are indifferent about the doctrine. 
But the apostle exhorts Christians to give all dili- 
gence to make their calling and election sure, 
by being able to produce such evidences as may 
demonstrate their personal interest in Jehovah's 
choice: the knowledge of which, in the judg- 
ment of Jesus, is calculated to produce in his 
people greater pleasure than they ought to take 
from the evidence of devils being in subjection 
to them. To have hell vanquished must afford 
unutterable joy to those who wrestle with the 
powers of darkness; "notwithstanding in this re- 
joice not, that the spirits are subject unto you, 
(saith the Lord,) but rather rejoice because your 



ON ELECTION. 63 

names are written in heaven." Luke x. 20. For 
the relief of serious inquirers after the truth, it may 
be proper to observe, that by Election, in Scripture 
is sometimes intended God's setting apart, or 
choosing a people, to the enjoyment of peculiar 
external privileges; in that sense he chose the 
Jewish nation, and therefore they as a nation, not- 
withstanding their wickedness, are frequently call- 
ed the Lord's elect, or chosen people. Again, the 
Lord hath elected, or chosen particular persons to 
act in office capacity ; as Samuel, Saul, David, and 
many more under the Old Testament; and Peter, 
James, Judas, and others, were chosen, or elected 
in like manner under the New. Hence Jesus said 
to his disciples, " Have not I chosen you twelve ? 
and one of you is a devil." 

But the election of grace, of which I am treat- 
ing, is of a different nature, and consists in God's 
choosing of persons in Christ Jesus, or setting 
them apart as in connexion with him, to salva- 
tion, through sanctification of the Spirit, and be- 
lief of the truth. Salvation was the end God had 
in view ; — to bring his chosen to the possession 
and enjoyment of salvation^ not only as consist- 
ing in a deliverance from punishment, but from 
all iniquity. Therefore in the definition the 
apostle gives of the doctrine, sanctification by 
the Spirit, and a true faith, were what these per- 
sons were chosen to be the subjects of, through 
which only, salvation could be enjoyed. This 
choice was frona the beginning, or ever the eartb 



64 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

was. They were not chosen, because they were 
viewed as holy, and therefore deserving to be dis- 
tinguished as God's favorites, on account of theit 
obedience or personal purity, but that they should 
be holy. The great apostle, in his deep, but de- 
lightful epistle to the saints at Ephesus, treats of 
the innportant subject in so full, plain, and accu- 
rate a manner, as to answer almost every perti- 
nent query that can be made respecting the doc- 
trine. He begins with expressions of fervid 
affection and humble gratitude to its infinite 
Author, saying, Blessed be the God and Father of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Q. 1. What hath he done ? 

A. Who hath blessed us. 

Q. 2. With what hath he blessed us ? 

A. With all spiritual blessings. 

Q. 3. Whers are those blessings deposited ? 

A. In Christ. 

Q. 4. Where may seeking souls expect to find" 
and enjoy them ? 

A. In heavenly places (or things.) 

Q. 5. According to what does he proceed in 
the bestowfnent of such special privileges: is it 
owing to our choice of him ? 

A. No ; but according as he hath chosen us in him. 

Q. 6. When? 

A. Before the foundation of the world. 

Q. 7. But did he choose us because we were 
holy, or because he foresaw we would be so ? 

A. No ; but that we should be holy. 



ON ELECTION. 65 

(i. 8. Did he then intend that all such should 
be made completely holy ? 

A. Yes, and without blame before him in love. 

Q. 9. And is every thing aforesaid absolutely 
secured ? 

A. Yes, having predestinated us. 

Q. 10. Predestinated to what? 

A. Unto the adoption of children. 

Q. Jl. By, and to whom ? 

A. By Jesus Christ to himself. 

Q. 12. What is the source of such favors, or 
from whence do they flow ? 

A, The good pleasure of his will. 

Q,. 13. In what does the whole terminate, or 
to what does it lead ? 

A. To the praise of the glory of his grace. 

Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Be- 
loved, in whom we have redemption through his 
blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the 
riches of his grace. See Eph. i. 4th to the l:2th^ 
Again, the same inspired writer asserts, such were 
"chosen to salvation, through sanctification of the 
Spirit and belief of the truth." 2 Thess. ii. 13. 
God kindly connected their final felicity and his 
own eternal glory, when he ordained them to 
eternal life. Acts xiii. 48. But though Judas 
was chosen to office, he was not chosen to holi- 
ness, for Jesus, when speaking to the disciples as 
his servants and true followers (Judas being pres- 
ent) he said, I speak not of you all. I know 
whom I have chosen . John xiii. 18. The names 
F 



66 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

of his chosen are written in heaven, and all such 
are freed from condemnation. Who shall lay any 
thing to the charge of God's elect ? Rom. viii. 33. 
All this could not [with propriety] he said of the 
Jewish nation, nor of Judas, and many more who 
have been chosen [merely] to office : besides, in- 
dividuals are called the elect, who could not bear 
rule in the church of God ; for a woman was not 
suffered to speak in the church, nor to usurp au- 
thority over the man, but was to be in silence. 
1 Tim. ii. 12. Yet we read of an elect lady and 
her elect sister. 2 John i. 13. If God hath thus 
chosen, the end he had in view will certainly be 
accomplished, for saith Jesus, " All that the Fath- 
er giveth me shall come unto me, and him that 
cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." 
" His people shall be willing in the day of his 
power," for having "loved them with an everlast- 
ing love, therefore with loving kindness will he 
draw them." No one instance can be given of 
God having chosen any peoplCy person, or place, 
to that which was not actually accomplished. 
Did the Lord choose the Jewish nation to pecu- 
liar privileges? Yes, and in consequence of that 
choice they had the advantage of all other 
nations, and much every way. Samuel did 
actually prophesy, and Saul and David were 
really kings in Israel. Judas was actually num- 
bered with the apostles, and with them took part 
of the ministry to which he was elected. Moses 
was Israel's leader, and lawgiver, because he 



ON ELECTION. 67 

was chosen by the Lord to such dignity. Aaron 
and his descendants were priests of the most high 
God, because they were elected by him to that 
office. So the Lord chose Jerusalem as the resi- 
dence of the ark, and the place where sacrifices 
should be offered ; and thither the tribes of Israel 
actually repaired to worship, and adore him 
whose dwelling was in Zion, In no one instance 
did Jehovah choose in vain. The ends he had in 
view were ever accomplished. And if so, can 
there be any reason assigned why those, and 
those only who w^ere chosen to the greatest bless- 
ings, should fall short of them? But the founda- 
tion standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord 
knoweth them that are his. In every age " as 
many as were ordained to eternal life believed" 
" the election obtained it, but the rest were blind- 
ed" by "the god of this world, who blindeth the 
eyes of them who believe not." " So then at this 
present time also there is a remnant according to 
the election of grace, and if by grace, then it is no 
more of works, otherwise grace is no more grace." 
Rom. xi. 5, 6. 

Another stumbling-block in the way of many 
inquirers, next to the doctrine of election, is 
reprobation, which is generally [but improperly] 
considered as the counterpart of election, and re- 
lated to it as its direct opposite ; as a negative, 
is related to a positive idea. But if it be under- 
stood as the negative of election, is it not strange 
it should change its nature, and, in controversy, 



68 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

become a positive idea ? And yet as such it has 
been [both] opposed and defended with great 
warmth ; for the adversaries of sovereign grace 
scarcely ever directly encounter the doctrine of 
election ; but artfully file off to reprobation, as if 
they were conscious [that] election was itself in- 
vulnerable, and could not possibly be reduced. 
But from the mountain of reprobation they attack 
the doctrine intended to be demolished, and charge 
it with the most horrid consequences, too shock- 
ing to relate. These consequences the defend- 
ers of sovereign grace have repeatedly proved to 
be quite foreign to, and not in the least inferable 
from, the doctrine of God's sovereign choice of 
his people to grace and glory. But perhaps their 
defence of the doctrine of reprobation has not 
been equally successful. [And no wonder; — they 
have unwarily admitted it to be the opposite of 
election; and this admission] has been stumbling 
to many inquirers after truth, and encouraging to 
its opposers. Election or choice, indeed, implies 
a negative, or that some are not chosen ; which 
the Scripture calls the rest : this is readily allowed, 
but reprobation as mentioned in Scripture is never 
opposed to election. To the doctrine of election 
it does not seem related, but stands in a quite differ- 
ent situation in the system of scriptural divinity. 
1. If reprobation conveyed the idea of non- 
election, by a person being reprobated, we should 
understand one not elected ; but how will such 
an idea comport with the apostle's reasoning, 



ON ELECTION. 69 

when he says, "Know ye not that Jesus Christ is 
in you except ye be reprobates ?" 2 Cor. xv. 15. To 
suppose him to mean they were not elected if 
Christ was not in them, is supposing him to con- 
tradict his own experience, and oppose self-evident 
facts ; for there was a time when Christ was not 
in Paul himself; during which period he was ex- 
ceeding mad against those who professed the 
name of Jesus. But, says he, " it pleased God to re- 
veal his Son in me." Before this happy change 
took place he was in a state of reprohation, for 
Christ was not in him, and yet he was never in a 
state of non-election, but was one chosen in Christ 
before the world was. Again, he could not mean 
if Christ was not in them they were not elected, be- 
cause Christ is not naturally in his elect, as most of 
them know ; and [they] lament,when called by grace, 
that they lived without God and without Christ in 
the world ; therefore, during that period, they were 
reprobates, not having Christ in them ; neverthe- 
less they were the elect of God, of which their be- 
ing called by grace is a proof. From hence it ap- 
pears that reprobation is not the opposite of election. 
2. That reprobation is not the opposite of elec- 
tion will appear evident, if it be considered that 
election is an act of divine sovereignty, arising 
merely from the will of God, without any fitness 
in creatures deserving to be so distinguished ; but 
reprobation, whenever the word is used in Scrip- 
ture, respects a comparative deficiency, or an es- 
sential defect in those who are reprobated- Elec- 



70 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

lion is the effect of, or entirely flows from the good 
pleasure of God's will in favor of the persons of 
his peo{)le ; but reprobation originates not merely 
from God's will, but from the natural contrariety 
there is between Jehovah's purity and their poU 
lutionJ^ 

3. Reprobation in Scripture always stands op- 
posed to, and is the natural negative of, approba- 
tion, whether it respect the state of a person, the 
frame of his mind, or the nature of his actions. 
Hence, vile professors are compared to the alloy 

* If the distinction laid down, page 48, between thelove 
of God as Natural and as Sovereign be borne in mind, it 
will render even more clear, the point which the author 
is here discussing. Election is the choice which saver' 
eign love makes of ihe persons of such as shall be saved. 
But Reprobation is not the opposite of this ; — it is God*s 
natural aversion to the disposition (i. e. the unholiness) 
of sinners, whether elect or not. And as God's natural 
hatred to the disposition of an impenitent sinner would 
be no proof that ihe person of the same sinner was not 
an object of his sovereign love, so, neither is the fact that 
a man is reprobate^ any proof that he is not elect ; for as 
God *^ loved" Israel with a sovereign love, and yet 
" greatly abhorred" them with a wfl<w?aZ aversion, (Psal. 
Ixxviii. 59, comp. 62) and Ibis love and abhorrence were 
not only compatible, but co-existent; so are the election 
and reprobation (i. e. disapproval ; see following sec- 
tion) of the same person compatible, and may be co- 
existent, and, therefore, one cannot be the opposite of 
the other. Ed. 



ON ELECTION. 71 

or dross frequently mixed with metal, which on 
trial is found base or deficient in quality ; there- 
fore " reprobate silver shall men call them, be- 
cause the Lord has rejected them." Jer. vi. 30. 
So in the text before mentioned, " Know ye not 
that Christ is in you except ye be reprobates ?" the 
apostle's obvious meaning is, that such are destitute 
of real worth. For, however splendid a profession 
be, yet without Christ, all will be found mere re- 
fuse at last ; therefore he puts them upon close ex- 
amination, lest they should be deceived by appear- 
ances. Thinking themselves somethings while in fact 
they are nothing. Hence in the next verse he adds, 
"But I trust that ye shall know that we are not 
reprobates." 2 Cor. xiii. 5, 6 ; and in verse 7, he 
says, "Now I pray to God that ye do no evil, not 
that we should appear approved^ but that ye should 
do that which is honest, though we be as repro- 
hates^ Thus he considers reprobation and appro- 
hation as natural opposites. Again, men of corrupt 
minds are said to be ^'reprobate concerning the 
faith," i. e- destitrte of a true understanding of the 
truth. 2 Tim. iii. 8. And the "abominable and 
disobedient are unto every good work reprohate,^^ 
Tit. i. 16. Agreeable, therefore, to this view of 
reprobation, those vile affections to which the 
Gentiles were given up, are called "a reprobate 
viind.^^ Rom. i. 26, 28, 29. Meaning that their 
dispositions and conduct were odious, and could 
not possibly be approved of, either by God or good 
men. From the above considerations it evidently 



72 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

appears, that election and reprobation are not in- 
separably connected, nor even so much as related 
as kindred ideas, and that reprobation does not in- 
tend an absolute appointment to eternal misery, 
for such may still find mercy as Paul did ; but 
that it is the awful opposite to divine approbation, 
whether it respect persons, principles, or proceed- 
ings. 

But some may reply. Though the term reproba- 
tion should be disused as relating to election, yet if 
the ideas be retained which were conveyed by it, 
the doctrine is not less exceptionable than before. 
True ; therefore, let us calmly consider whether 
those horrid ideas, which the opposers of election 
have alwjiys connected with the term reprobation, 
are, or are not, as foreign to the doctrine of 
election as the term itself. The most decent and 
sober opposers of the doctrine in question, generally 
charge it with implying three things: 1. An ap- 
pointment to inevitable destruction of those who 
are not elected ; therefore, 2. That the doctrine 
of election is injurious to those not included in it ; 
and consequently, 3. Is a reflection on the justice 
or moral character of God. These reasons, it is 
confessed, are quite sufficient to justify a dissent 
from the doctrine, or an opposition to it, supposing 
them well founded. But whether these awful in- 
ferences are the genuine offspring of election or 
not will appear, if brought under impartial exami- 
nation. 



ON ELECTION. 



73 



1. Respecting the first objection, the question 
is, Whether the doctrine of election (supposing it a 
fact) he the cause of, or in the least influential up- 
on, an appointment of any creature to destruction ? 
That it was neither the cause nor the occasion of 
such an appointment is demonstrably evident from 
its very nature. It could not have such a tendency, 
because election is an act absolutely sovereign, or 
a gracious act arising simply from Jehovah's will. 
But punishment does not arise from divine sover- 
eignty. If it did, it would be causeless; but God 
never punished (therefore never intended to do so) 
without a criminal cause in the creature. God 
does not punish for sin because it was his sovereign 
will ; but his very will to punish arises from the 
holiness of his nature and the equity of his govern- 
ment ; therefore God's intention to punish arises 
from a distinct source from that out of which elec- 
tion springs. They are in their nature eternally 
distinct, as any acts of God can possibly be.* Such 
a charge, therefore, might as well be brought 
against creation as election. It seems very strange 
that any serious person should oppose the idea of 
God's decreeing to punish for sin, seeing he actually 

* These distinctions may be thus shown: — The 
*' source" of election is mercy] Eph. ii. 4, 5. That of 
punishment is justice. Luke xxiii. 41. The "nature" of 
the two acts also is distinct ; — election is a gracious act ; 
Rom. xi. 5. Punishment is a righteous one; Rom. 
iii. 5. Ed. 

G 



74 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

does so, which he could not, if it was an unrighte- 
ous thing in God to lake vengeance. If it he right 
for the Lord to punish those who are punished by 
him, it could not be wrong to resolve to do so, un- 
less it be wrong to determine to do what is right. 
However, such a decree does not arise from elec- 
tion. What is opposite to election, is a mere nega- 
tion, or a leaving others in that state in which all 
men are viewed by the great Eternal when he 
chose his people : therefore, 

2. The doctrine is not injurious to those not in- 
cluded in it ; for if election respected its objects as 
sinless, or simply considered as creatures formed 
of God, which some think, seeing the happy an- 
gels and the person of Clirist were included in 
Jehovah's choice, those fi'om among whom they 
were chosen could not be deemed punishable, be- 
ing considered in their pu7'e unfallen slate ; there- 
fore election, if so considered, could not in the na- 
ture of things, be the cause or occasion of God''s 
designing to punish any man. If the election of 
men be considered as a choice of mminaZ creatures 
or of creatures considered as in a sinful fallen 
stale, in which hght it is viewed by many, because 
the choice is unto salvation through sanctification of 
the spirit, (however, the different stating of the doc- 
trine is only a circumstance which does not alter 
the nature of the truth stated, for if it be thus con- 
sidered,) it unavoidably follows, that as those not 
included in the sovereign choice, were viewed by 
God as sinful when the choice was made ; there- 



ON ELECTION. 75 

fore the choice could not possibly make them sinful 
nor cause them to be viewed as criminals. It is 
singularly absurd to suppose the prescience of 
God, or his all-comprehending understanding, lo 
be the fruit of his sovereign will; and yet this ab- 
surdity, gross as it is, attends the objection, which 
is the same as saying, if God had not elected some, 
he would never have known or thougiit of the 
condition of others. As no injury is done to any 
man by the doctrine in question, therefore, 

3. It is not contrary to, or an impeachment of, 
the moral character of God. In election there is 
no connivance at sin implied. By it, sin in the 
chosen was not rendered less odious, nor justice 
partially administered in their favour, but a surety 
was graciously substituted in their stead, who bore 
their sins, and was wounded for their transgres- 
sions, and by whose obedience the law of God was 
magnified, and through his death impartial justice 
shone with tremendous lustre. Had the crimes of 
which the elect was guilty been transfen^ed or im- 
puted to those who perish, in that case an exemption 
of the elect from punishment would have been 
unjust and injurious, because mercy shown to them 
would have heii^htened the misery of others. But 
as every one who perishes suffers only according 
to the demerit of his own personal sins, therefore 
to infer that the doctrine of election is detrimental 
to man, and unworthy of God, discovers either ^i^- 
iahle weakness, ov powerful prejudice ; for such in- 
ferences seem as opposite to truth, decency and 



76 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES, 

common sense, as a man would appear to be, t/*he 
undertook to prove that God is cruel because he is 
kind, and that those have great cause to complain 
who were never injured. That the doctrine is riot 
inimical to Christian experience, but of contrary 
tendency, will be shown in its proper place. What 
has been said I hope may tend to remove the ob- 
jections against it,^ as a revealed truth of great im- 

*The following condensed view of the doctrine of 
election, maj^, perhaps, not be unacceptable to the 
young Christian. 

1. There is a manifest difference among mankind in 
their moral and religious character ; — a difference which 
is not merely external, but apparently, radical and essen- 
tial : some are the subjects of real, vital piety, of which 
others are entirely destitute. 

2. As every effect must originate in some cause, so 
this difference in men's characters is an effect of some 
cause, and the Scriptures attribute it to God ; Eph. ii. 3, 
5. " We were by nature children of wrath even as 
others ; but God — hath quickened us.^^ 

3. As God is the author of this difference, he has, 
doubtless, in producing it, acted like an intelligent and 
wise being. But such a Being does not act till he has 
determined to act; and each act is part of a plan of ope- 
ration : therefore, before God produced this difference in 
men's characters, he determined to produce it, and the 
change produced, is part of his great plan of operations; 
i. e. what he has done in time, he has resolved to do be- 
fore time began : he determined, then, to eflfect the very 
change he has effected, and in the very persons in whom 



UNION TO CHRIST. 77 

portance, in consequence of which, Christ and his 
people were so connected that what he did was tm- 
putahle to them. 



CHAPTER IV. 

UNION TO CHRIST. 

Though the Scriptures speak with remarkable 
plainness of the near relation subsisting between 
Christ and his church, in consequence of electing 
love, yet various stumbling-blocks are frequent- 
ly found in the way of [those who desire] 
clear views of that doctrine ; for the removal of 

he has effected it; (Rom. viii. 29, 30,) and this determi- 
nation is election. 

From this it will be seen that election has absolutely 
no bearing upon any but the saved ; it does not touch, or 
at all regard others ; — no more than if they had not any 
being. It leaves them exactly as they were, and as they 
would have been if there had been no election at all. 

From an inspection of the passage just referred to, la 
connection with the above remarks, it will be seen, also, 
that so far from election securing the salvation of any, 
irrespective of character and piety, their character is one 
object regarded in their election ; and election secures 
that it shall be holy ; (Eph. i. 4.) Election, as we have 
seen, was the determination that there should be a differ- 
ence in conduct and character between its objects and 
others ; and that they should be sanctified in spirit, by the 
belief of the truth. 2 Thes. ii. 13. 



78 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

which, if God please to bless the attempt, let us 
now briefly consider, [that relation to Christ which 
is expressed by the title of the present chapter.] 

Various warm disputes have existed among the 
people of God about union to Christ, particu- 
larly, as relating to its commencement, which is 
thought by some to have been from everlasting, 
and by others not till, or after believing. Though 
agreed in the main about its nature and duration, 
each side has been pretty free, and fertile in the 
invention of consequences, as arising from their 
opponents' sentiments, which [consequences,] per- 
haps, are equally abhorrent to both. On this ac- 
count, many sincere inquirers after truth have been 
greatly discouraged, wounded in their minds, and 
prevented making progress in religious attainments. 
Some are likewise perplexed and stumbled by a 
thii^d party, who, differing from the other about 
the nature of the union, therefore deny its dwahil- 
ity, and maintain that those who are in Christ to- 
day may possibly be in hell to-morrow. Perhaps 
the doctrine of union with Christ may be of such a 
copious and complex nature, as to justify in some 
measure the sentiment of each, who viewing the sub- 
ject in detached parts only, therefore may conclude 
some things are opposite, which are, in fact, only 
distinct. However, so far as that may be the case 
with common Christians, an impartial survey, or 
review of the subject, may have a conciliating 
tendency ; for which purpose it should be consid- 
ered, that union to Christ is of a threefold nature, 



tTNlON TO CHRIST. 79 

which may (for the sake of keeping ideas distinct) 
be denominated, visible, vital, and virtual. 

First ; By visible, is intended a credible profes- 
sion of Christ, joined with an apparent subjection 
to him, or an embracing his gospel, and obeying 
his laws. Where there appears love to Jesus, and 
subjection to him as a Saviour, and a Sovereign, 
we are bound to consider such persons as related 
to him, and to love them accordingly. The 
apostle, treating of the visible church as in union 
with Christ, founded on profession, says. We being 
many, are one body in Christ, and every one mem- 
bers one of another. Rom. xii. 5. And speaking 
of the churches of Judea, he adds, which were in 
Christ. Gal. i. 22. To be therefore in the church 
by a credible profession, was called a being in 
Christ, as in 1 Cor. xii. 2. See Gal. iii. 27 ; I Cor. 
xii. 13. Yet it is evident that the apostle did not 
account all were true behevers which were in 
Christ by profession, though he was bound in 
charity to hope thus of them all, till there was 
evidence to the contrary. The inspired penmen 
did not certainly know the gracious state of the 
persons they addressed, but had cheering hopes 
and distressing fears, respecting those to whom 
they ministered. See Epist. to Gal. Even Jesus, 
" who knew what was in man," generally, as a 
minister, addressed his own people by such terms 
as were descriptive of gracious dispositions; Matt, 
v. As many are in Christ only by a profession, 
having a name to live, and imtc dead, therefore 



80 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

there is a striking propriety in the various ifs we 
meet with in Scripture, when promises and en- 
couragements are treated of, which ifs do not im- 
ply an uncertainty of a true believer's future hap- 
piness ; but an uncertainty respecting who the 
persons are that have believed through grace. 
With what jealousy does Paul speak of the Gala- 
tian churches, and of many in that of Corinth ; 
and with what caution does Peter mention one 
whom he greatly valued, " Sylvanus, a faithful 
brother, as I suppose." 2 Pet. v. 12. The visible 
kingdom of Christ is compared to a net which en- 
closeth divers kinds: but the Lord, who searcheth 
the heart, will take care of the good, and cast the 
bad away. Then many who were visibly in con- 
nexion with Christ, who ate and drank in his 
presence, who were the children of the kingdom, 
and visible members of his body, the church, will 
be cast out ; so that those who are found fruitless 
branches in Christ, will be broken off, and burned 
with unquencliable fire. Therefore it is granted 
that many who are in Christ, in [this] sense, [i. e. 
visibly,] may notwithstanding lift up their eyes in 
hell, being in torment. 

Secondly ; there is a vital union, or a divine 
connexion between Christ and his people, which 
takes place at regeneration, when the soul is 
made to hear the voice of the Son of God and 
live ; for the Son quickeneth whom he will. Hence 
the apostle says, "Hive; yet not I, but Christ 
which liveth in me." To live implies three things, 



UNION TO CHRIST. 81 

all which, in a spiritual sense, every true Christian 
is the subject of, viz. ; sensation, animation, 

PRESERVATION. 

1. Sensation. They feel the burden of guilt, 
and are sensible of the plague of their own hearts. 
They are convinced of their wants and weakness, 
and are conscious of being in a condition both 
mean and miserable. They see their own deform- 
ity and Jehovah's beauty. Their ears are open to 
receive instruction ; and the voice of God in his 
word, whether terrijic or tender^ makes deep and 
durable impressions on their minds. They have a 
taste for the things of religion, after which they 
hunger and tliirst. To them Christ is precious: 
his name is an ointment poured forth, his beauty is 
as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon ; yea, he 
is altogether lovely. All their spiritual sensations, 
whether painful orpleasurable, are in consequence, 
of Zii;i77g* union with Jesus; for prior to its com- 
mencement they were dead in sin, and destitute of 
every holy emotion and perception. 

2. Animation. Christian activity is entirely 
owing to Christ's animative influence. Through 
his Spirit and all-sufficient grace, they serve 
with pleasure, or suffer with patience ; they 
strive and war against sin, and wrestle with 
principalities and powers, over all which they 
are more than conquerors through him who hath 
loved them. Yea, they can do all things through 
Christ strengthening them, and without him they 
can do nothing. 



82 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

3. Preservation. The principle of animation 
ever discovers an inclination to preserve its connex- 
ion with that which is animated by it: this is obvi- 
ous not only in rational life, but even in animal 
likewise. So, Christ has always discovered an en- 
tire, infinite inclination to keep and preserve his 
people in connexion with himself. He influences 
therti to love, and labor for the meat which perish- 
eth not. He alarms their fears that they may es- 
cape danger, and strengthens their faith that they 
may lay hold of eternal life, secures their love by 
fresh discoveries of divine beauties, and the suita- 
bleness of celestial objects to heaven-horn souls. 
Thus he draws them in the paths of duty by the 
bands of love, and by the cords of a man. He is 
the author of iheiv preservation, in such a way as to 
prevent presumption, and secure their attention to 
appointed means, which Divine wisdom has con- 
nected with the desired end. He says he never 
will leave them, but will be with them always to 
the end of the w'orld ; and writes his law in their 
hearts, that they might not finally depart from 
him. He saves them, therefore, not contrary to 
their inclination, but with their free consent, and 
fervent desire. He that is joined unto the Lord is 
one spirit ; 1 Cor. vi. 17. Between Jesus and 
them, there is a oneness in perception, affection, in- 
terest, and end. As they are precious to him, so 
he is precious to them ; the chief among ten 
thousand, and altogether lovely. His interest is 
theirs, and theirs is his. He rejoiceth in the pros- 



UNION TO CHSIST. 83 

pcrity of his people, and they esteem Jerusalem, 
i. e. his cause on earth, above their chief joy ; his 
revealed designs correspond with their real desires. 
The destruction of sin and the perfection of purity 
they long for. He gave his life for them, neither 
do they count theirs too dear to sacrifice on his 
behalf; their life therefore is in their hand, ready 
to be delivered up at their Saviour's call. They 
rejoice in Jesus on account of his mediatorial obe- 
dience, not only as it is their security from con- 
demnation, but as it does infinite honour to 
Heaven's righteous law. What Christ has done, 
intentionally centres, and will ultimately termi- 
nate, in the vindication of God's moral govern- 
ment, and the eternal display of Jehovah's essen- 
tial perfections, in all their native beauty, and 
infinite excellency, grandeur, and gloryj that God, 
to whom sinners have an aversion, may appear 
and be acknowledged, not only by angels, but by 
men, as all in all. As influenced by grace, the 
true believer says, " Oh, how I love thy law !" 
"I delight in the law of God after the inward 
man." Jehovah he admires and adores ; and when 
he takes a solemn view of the great Eternal, 
whose glory dazzles angelic eyes, he is astonished, 
confounded, and lost, in pleasing wonder. He 
sinks into profound contempt of himself, and feels 
keen reflections on his criminal want of affection 
to, and departures from a Being so infinitely de- 
serving the supreme love of men and angels. But 
on the revival of hope, with humble reverence, 



84 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

and holy rapture, he sings, " The Lord is my por^ 
Hon, saith my soul. He is my rock and fortress, and 
my deliverer, my God, my strength, my buckler, my 
salvation, and my high tower. In his presence is 
fulness of joy, at his right hand are pleasures for 
evermore. Then shall I be satisfied, when I 
awake in his likeness." Though conscious of 
meanness and demerit, his language now is, "Will 
he plead against me with his great power? No, 
but he will put strength into me." '' I know whom 
I have believed. He hath said, My grace shall be 
sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect in 
wejTikness. The Lord will preserve me unto his 
heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and 
ever. Amen." 

As such souls freely give themselves unto the 
Lord, so he receives them graciously, and rejoiceth 
in them as his spouse, his property, and portion; 
it is his will, and their desire to be like him, and 
with him for ever ; and for them to die is gain. 
Therefore, though shoals of professors perish, 
none who are possessors of his grace ever shall. 
Their internal life is eternal in its duration ; for 
thus saith the Lord, " 1 give unto my sheep eter- 
nal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall 
any pluck them out of my hand." John x. 28. 
"He that believeth on him is not condemned." 
John iii. 18. "There is therefore now no condem- 
nation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk 
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 
viii. 1. As there is no condemnation to such now, 



UNION TO CHRIST. 85 

there never shall be any. " Verily, verily, I say 
unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth, 
shall not come into condemnation, but is passed 
from death unto life. John v. 24. Whoso be- 
lieveth on him, shall not perish, but have eternal 
life. John iii. 15, 16. They shall never die ; 
though they were dead, yet shall they live. John 
xi. 25. Who shall separate them from the love of 
Christ ? Rom. viii. 35. Whose Spirit is in them 
as a well of water springing up into everlasting 
life. John iv. 14. He that hath the Son hath 
life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath 
not life" Those, therefore, who are vitally united 
to Christ, cannot lose their spiritual life while he 
maintains his own ; for he hath said, *' Because I 
live ye shall live also." Being bought by his pre- 
cious blood, and kept by almighty power, they 
therefore may conclude with the apostle, " That 
when Christ, who is their life, shall appear, they 
shall also appear with him in glory." 

There is, therefore, no real contradiction in the 
declarations in Scripture, though they may to 
some appear opposite, respecting the Jinal state of 
those who are united to Christ; for salvation is 
not inseparably connected with a visible, but with 
a vital union to the Son of God. Those who per- 
ish never were spiritually in Christ: he was never 
the home of their hearts. They never approved of 
him, nor he of them ; therefore he will say to all 
that shall be doomed to destruction, I never knew 
you. Though they may have been among the 



86 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

saints, yet such were never of them ; but of a con- 
trary character all the while. Hence of apostates 
the apostle thus speaks: "They went out from 
us, but they were not of us, for if they had been 
of u§, they would no doubt have continued with 
us ; but they went out that they might be hiade 
manifest, that they were not all of us, but ye have 
an unction from the Holy One^^^ &c. 1 John ii. 19, 20. 
Thus it appears, that a visible and a vital union to 
Christ are very distinct ; and yet they are not op- 
posites, for a profession of Christ cannot be deemed 
contrary to a possessiori of him. 

Thirdly, Vital union is distinct from virtual, 
though one is not contrary or opposite to the other. 
By virtual union with Christ, is intended a real 
connexion subsisting between him and the elect of 
God considered simply as such. That there was 
such a connexion antecedent to vital union, is evi- 
dent from the following considerations. They 
were chosen in Christ, and given to him ; in 
covenant he represented them as a federal head. 
He became a surety for them, and on their behalf 
was made under the law, in consequence of which 
there was a legal connexion of union established 
between him and them. The substitution of his 
person under the law in their stead, was the 
ground of the imputation of their sins to him, and 
of his obedience for them. What he did and en- 
dured, would have had no efficacy in their favour, 
had they not been personally interested in him. 
Their sins could not have been done away by the 



UNION TO CHRIST. 87 

sacrifice of himself, had he not given himself /or 
them in particular or died in their stead. But as 
their kinsman-Redeemer, he ransomed them from 
death, and as the Head of the church, he became 
the Saviour of the body. Thus was he related to 
his chosen, as their head of representation ; and, 
as their surety, by his gracious engagements and 
condescending substitution of his person [to endure 
the penalties of the law] in their place, and by his 
performing for them what was required of them, 
he became the Lord their righteousness y and by his 
death he procured on their behalf an eternal 
exemption from deserved punishment, and a legal 
title to everlasting bliss. In consequence of this 
union, the elect were intrusted to his care, and 
were preserved in Christ Jesus, and, therefore, 
called to be saints. By virtue of the aforesaid con- 
nexion, they are said to be his sheep, whom he 
must bring ; for of all that the Father hath given 
him, he will lose none : and from thence ariseth the 
propriety of the apostle's language in Eph. ii.4, 6 : 
**God who is rich in mercy, for his great love 
wherewith he loved us, even zr/ien we were dead 
in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, 
and hath raised us up together, and made us 
sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." 
Now as this virtual union does not supersede vital, 
or render it unnecessary, but is the secret source 
from whence it flows, why then should the godly 
quarrel one with another about what is so evi- 
dently consistent ? Though fruit be only found in 
the branches, yet the root is surely not unprofi- 



88 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

table, seeing from thence the sap of the tree pro- 
ceeds. According to this simile we may observe, 
what the Scripture calls bringing forth fruit unto 
God^ can only be expected among professors of 
religion, who are in Christ as visible branches. 
But even amongst them, will no fruit be found 
without sap or living nourishment ; and there can 
be no vital nourishment, but in consequence of 
union with the root. As none ever imagine there 
is no connexion between the root and branches of a 
tree till blossoms appear, why then should any 
think there is no connexion between Christ the 
root of the righteous, and his people, before the ap- 
pearance of grace ? It is owing to the appearance 
of gracious dispositions, that a relation to Christ 
is discovered, or claimable by any person what- 
ever: nevertheless, the union or relation in the last 
sense in which we have been speaking, does not 
then commence. If there was no previous secret 
connexion with Christ, from whence did grace 
proceed to the soul ? It must have a source or 
original cause. The apostle observes all spiritual 
blessings were given us in Christ. Eph. i. 3. If 
Christ was intrusted with all spiritual blessings to 
communicate to his people, then no spiritual bless- 
ing is ever possessed, but what flows from him; 
and if so, there must be a prior coimexion with 
him. Believers have reason gratefully to ac- 
knowledge that they all have received out of his 
fulness, grace for grace. John i. 16. To the hesi- 
tating soul we would recommend a close consider- 



UNION TO CHRIST. 89 

ation of the apostle's query; "What hast thou, 
that thou didst not receive :" 1 Cor. iv. 7. 

The doctrine of union between Christ and his 
church is of a nature so copious, that no one meta- 
phor can properly represent it ; therefore in the 
Scriptures we meet with various similitudes, tend- 
ing to illustrate the important subject. Christ is 
frequently compared to a foundation, on whicli 
his people are built; but that conveying only the 
idea of support, therefore he is compared to a root, 
by which the idea of influence is likewise illustra- 
ted. But though branches are influenced, and 
rendered fruitful, in consequence of conveyed 
nourishment, yet Christian activity is not thereby 
properly represented : to supply this defect, Christ 
and his people are farther illustrated by the 
union subsisting between head and members. But 
though the idea of activity is thereby conveyed, 
there is still a material defect, for the relation be- 
tween these is quite involuntary, Uad it been 
otherwise, the head might possibly have chosen 
better feet, or better hands ; and had they been the 
subjects of distinct volition, they Vv^ould, probably, 
have chosen to have been in union with a better 
head: therefore to supply the deficiency of the 
above sinjile, and to include the id^a of mutual 
choice and social endearments, Chnsi and his church 
are compared to husband and ivife. If then we 
are in such near and close connexion with the 
blessed Jesus, as the Scriptures assert, and, by so 
many significant similitudes, illustrate his own 
H 



90 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

people to be, let us frequently think of, and bless 
God for, that sovereign and inseparable love which 
constituted the relation. It is all of God, as is 
devoutly acknowledged by that sweet singer in 
our British Israel, the late Dr. Watts, who of the 
Father's love and choice thus speaks : 
Christ be my first elect, he said, 
Then chose our souls in Christ our Head > 
Nor shall our souls be thence remov'd, 
Till he forgets his first belov'd. 



CHAPTER V. 



rp:lation to god. 



As there are unhappy differences among the 
professors of religion about union to Christ, so 
in like manner they are subject to cast stumbling- 
blocks in each other's way respecting relation to 
God. 

For the removal of these, and the purpose of 
reconciliation, let us consider on what, rehition 
to God is founded. That relation in which God's 
people stand unto himself, distinct from others, 
according to the Scripture, arises from adoption 
and regeneration. Adoption is a taking those into 
the relation of sons, and treating them as such, 
who are not so by nature. Now God's people 
were all by nature aliens ; but, by adopting grace, 
[they] were by him considered as his children. 



RELATION TO GOD. 91 

Again, His people are all his children by hii-th; 
being born again, ihey possess or partake of his 
nature, as it consists in righteousness and true 
holiness, and so bear his image. Adoption con- 
stitutes relation, but does not convey likeness of 
nature; but regeneration does both. Adoption is 
before, or antecedent to regeneration, for there is 
no propriety in supposing those are made sons by 
adoption who are so by birth. No man ever 
adopted his own son ; those who are sons by na- 
ture, need not to be made sons by adoption. 
Though the persons who are regenerated were 
adopted, yet they were not adopted as regenerate, 
but when they were in a state of alienation from 
God. In which state all men are by nature, as 
the descendants of an apostate head. Adoption is 
therefore the taking those into the relation of 
children, who are not so by nature, or reckoning, 
or accounting those sons, who are not, [as yet, 
such] by regeneration. Relation by adoption is, 
therefore, quite distinct from sonship arising from 
regeneration, or a being generated, and born 
anew ; and accordingly we find it treated of as a 
separate subject in the word of God. Adoption is 
an act of God's sovereign will, according to Eph. 
i. 5, 6. "Having predestinated us unto the adop- 
tion of children by Jesus Christ to himself, accord- 
ing to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise 
and glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us 
accepted in the beloved." Regeneration is the 
work of his power, it is a manifest change of soul 



92 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES, 

produced by bis Holy Spirit. "Not by works of 
righteousness which we have done, but according 
to his mercy he saved us by the washing of regen- 
eration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Tit. 
iii. 5. The people of God, considered as children 
by adoption, were the subjects of redemption. 
Being, through sin, in a state of distance and 
dreadful captivity, Christ gave his life a ransom 
for them, "He died, the just for the unjust, that 
he might bring them to God." Hence those who 
were sometime afar off are made nigh by the 
blood of his Son. It was therefore expedient that 
Christ should die for the people, and gather to- 
gether in one the children of God that were scat- 
tered abroad. John xi. 50, 52. For it became him 
for whom are all things, and by whom are all 
things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to 
make the captain of their salvation perfect through 
sufferings. Heb. ii. 10. They were not redeemed, 
considered as saints, but as sinners ; not redeemed 
as children, by regeneration, but as sons by adop- 
tion; and of them, as such, Christ will at last say, 
" Father, here am I and the children which thou 
hast given me." The application of redeeming 
love, and the possession of the Redeemer's pui*- 
chase is not enjoyed, nor by them desired till re- 
newed in the spirit of their minds; but being 
God's adopted sons, therefore in his account 
they were entitled to them ; and because they 
were sons, the Spirit of Christ is sent into their 
hearts, crying, Abba, Father. It is owing to the 



RELATION TO GOD. 93 

Spirit of adoption, or the Holy Ghost, bearing 
witness to their relationship as the children of 
God, that they are delivered from that bondage 
and fear which would otherwise overwhelm 
them, in consequence of a sight and sense of 
criminal distance from God, and unhkeness to 
him. Rom. viii. 15, 17. The bodies of God's 
people were included in the act of adoption, and 
witli their souls were given to Christ, and bought 
by him ; "Ye are bought with a price, wherefore 
glorify God in your bodies, — which are his. 
But though the members of the body are instru- 
ments of righteousness unto holiness, in conse- 
quence of a person being renewed in the spirit of 
his mind, yet while in this life the bodies of the 
saints have no peculiar marks of divine sonship^ 
but are subject to vanity, bondage, and corruption. 
The privileges of adoption, therefore, as relating 
to them, will not be enjoyed till the resurrection, 
for the bodies o^ all men through sin are the seat 
of misery; and not only bodies in general, but 
ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the 
Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, 
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption 
of the body." Rom. viii. 23. Sonship by adoption 
is not contrary to, nor does it render relationship to 
God by regeneration, uniNecessary ; there is as 
much need of a meetness for heaven as of a title to it. 
In order to consummate happiness, it is as neces- 
sary to have a disposition, or taste, for pure and 
refined pleasure, as it is to be delivered from pain. 



94 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

Therefore, except a man be born again, he cannot 
enter into the kingdom of God, he cannot see it in 
its nature, beauty, and spiritual glory, for the nat- 
ural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of 
God, neither can he know them, because they are 
spiritually discerned. Hence (says Christ) ye 
must be born again. The doctrine of adoption 
is supporting to the believer's hope, even when 
he loathes and bemoans himself on the account of 
transgressions, for the very name Jesus (a Sa- 
viour) was given to Immanuel, because he should 
save his people from their sins. Matth. i. 21. But 
considered as born again, they are not denomi- 
nated sinners, but saints, for he that is born of 
God sinneth not. Sin is not his occupation. By 
adoption God's peo{)le were in a point of relation 
made near to him, as respecting their persons. 
By regeneration they become followers of him as 
dear children, through their being the subjects of 
gracious principles and holy dispositions. 

To conclude ; as sonship amongst men arises 
from adoption and likewise from natural descent, 
or generation ; the Lord, therefore, more fully to 
express his love to his people, and the ground of 
their claim or title to heavenly things, has been 
pleased to discover himself as their Father under 
both considerations ; which if properly attended 
to by the household of faith, their differences 
would in some measure subside, and their diffi- 
culties in some degree diminish ; for according to 
the scriptural account of relation to God, tbey 



RELATION TO GOD. 95 

are most certainly right who say, that by regen- 
eration or heavenly birth the people of God are 
denominated sons in a proper sense, and in which 
sense they were not his children before, for we are 
all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus; 
and if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is 
none of his. But those who heartily subscribe to 
this truth, may surely, without offence, be allowed 
to say, that by adoption they w;ere constituted sons 
before believing ; for none are denominated be- 
lievers till born of God, and it would be absurd to 
suppose they were not till then adopted. Equally 
absurd as to suppose Adam adopted Abel, or that 
it is necessary for his majesty to adopt the prince 
of Wales. When the Scriptures treat only of 
men's relation to God, it is then attributed to adop- 
tion ; or the gracious act of Jehovah's will 
towards them ; which does not imply, but is dis- 
tinct from, his powerful influences in and upon 
them. But when likeness and relation to God are 
jointly considered, an heavenly birth is then in- 
tended or included. For the Holy Spirit's opera- 
lions in the souls of men are illustrated by natural 
generation ; because, such are thereby made par- 
takers of the Divine image, as it consisteth in 
righteousness and true holiness. The considera- 
tion of these things, it is hoped, may tend to 
reconcile the minds of some of the people of God, 
and prevent their falling out by the way. 



96 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES* 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEiMENT. 

This important truth is attended with divers 
difficulties, which are perplexing to weak Chris- 
tians, the removal of which calls for serious at- 
tention to its nature and necessity. Atonement 
signifies reconciliation, or appeasing of anger ; to 
atone is to harmonize or bring parties to an agree- 
ment that were at variance, or to remove that 
distance and disaffection which have subsisted 
between parties offended, so as to be at one again, 
or brought into a state of friendship, amity, and 
good will. The atonement under present consid- 
eration, is that by, or on the account of, which 
God is pacified towards, or pardons the sins of, 
his people. Various ideas are included in the 
term, as used in Scripture, but they are all of 
a kindred nature, and adhere to the important 
doctrine, as their central point, tending to explain 
its natural origin and efficacy. In order to obtain 
a distinct view of the subject, it may be proper to 
observe. 

First ; It supposes the party to have been justly 
injured [or offended] to whom satisfaction is due. 
This was in fact the case in respect of God. Men, all 
men, are become enemies to him without any reason 
which can possibly exculpate them from blame. 
His law, which men have broken, was in every re- 
spect reasonable and right. His authority, though 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 97 

indisputably the highest and best founded, is 
treated by man with the greatest contempt. The 
moral beauty and excellency of God is become 
disgustful to his rebellious creatures. As Jehovah 
is the first, the best, and most worthy of all beings, 
it is fit he should value p.nd esteem his own glory 
in proportion to its worth, which is infinitely more 
excellent and more dear to him than all creatures 
in heaven and earth. But man has set up his 
own honor and happiness in opposition to God's, 
and (as it were) deifies himself, and debases Je- 
hovah, to whom he pays no further regard than 
he apprehends will ternjinate in his own advan- 
tage. God's anger is righteous displeasure, for 
rnen have hated him without a cause; there was 
nothing in his nature, character, or commands, 
with which men could be justly displeased. God 
never did any thing to provoke his creatures to 
revolt ; if he had, he would have been under obli- 
gation to have made satisfaction to man for the 
injury done him, in order to an honorable recon- 
ciliation, that man might be just, and the justifier 
of God, which is shocking to suppose: therefore, 

Secondly : The atonement supposes the offend- 
ing party, man, to have been justly deserving 
punishment, and exposed to misery. If he was 
not exposed to misery, there could have been no 
need of the exercise of mercy ; and if he was the 
real offender, something was needful to atone for 
the offence, in order to a restoration of friendship 
between him and his Creator. There is a preva- 
I 



98 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

lent conviction attending guilt, of the necessity 
of something to recommend to and pacify offended 
Deity, It is not against atonement that men are 
naturally prejudiced ; but it is only that of God's 
providing to which they have an enmity and 
aversion. " Wherewith shall I come before the 
Lord, and bow myself before the most higb God?" 
is the common and grand inquiry of a guilty 
mind. It is not a bowing before him, either in a 
way of submission, confession, supphcation, or 
obedience, that will satisfy for past offences, but 
something that has worth and efficacy to atone 
for the sin of the soul, in order to an acceptable 
coming to, and bowing before the most high God: 
therefore, "thousands of rams, ten thousand of 
rivers of oil," and even " the first-born of the 
body," is thought of for the purpose of pleasing 
aw offended God. "He hath shown thee, O 
man !" (in his word,) " what is good" for the paci- 
fication of Divine justice, and what he re(iuires 
of thee, as a grateful return for the inestimable 
favor. Mic. vi. 6, 7, 8. Not all created good 
(was it at the sinner's disposal) could compensate 
for the injury done to Jehovah's righteous law 
and equitable government, because it bears no 
proportion to an infinite evil ; therefore, the wis- 
dom of men and angels could never have pointed 
out a method for the exercise of mercy, consistent 
with the natural rights of justice and truth. But 
God, through infinite wisdom and sovereign love, 
has made a gracious proclamation in favor of 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 99 

criminal man, saying, " Deliver bis soul from 
going down to the pit, I have found a ransom" or 
an atonement: this was entirely a new procedure, 
the effect of a new and well-ordered covenant, 
according to his eternal purpose, which he pur- 
posed in Christ Jesus our Lord. There was noth- 
ing in God's law, nothing in the original constitu- 
tion of things, nor any known property in Deity, 
from whence it could be inferred, that mercy would 
ever be shown to man, or friendship be restored 
between him and his justly offended Sovereign. 
The gracious intention was hid in God. Eph. iii.9. 
Yea, had an intimation been given of the kind 
design, the nature of atonement is such that 
created wisdom could never have guessed hoic^ 
or by whom it could be accomplished. For, 

1. The person undertaking to atone, must have 
been able to offer to God that which was infinite 
in its worth and value. 

2. [He must have the nature of those whom his 
atonement is to benefit; i. e. he must] be man, 
capable of obeying the law, and bearing its tre- 
mendous curse ; [and this] without personal and 
perpetual destruction. 

3. He who atones for another's crimes must 
himself be innocent, otherwise an atonement 
would be needful on his own account; and there- 
fore, whatever he might do or endure for the pur- 
pose of reconciliation, could not properly be im- 
puted to, or benefit, any other guilty person. But 
among men, where could perfect innocence be 



100 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

found, seeing the whole world is become guilty 
before God ? But supposing such a one could have 
been found, an atonement would not have ap- 
peared possible, because, 

4. Equity cannot allow an innocent person to 
suffer punishment. It is contrary to^ the natural 
rule of right ; penal suffering cannot be inflicted 
but in consequence of guilt: therefore he that 
justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the 
just, even they are both an abomination to the 
Lord. Prov. xvii. 15. And shall not the Judge of 
all the earth do right ? It is not possible he should 
do that which is abhorrent to his nature, and 
abominable in his sight ; therefore, as a God of 
equity he cannot clear the guilty, nor punish the 
innocent. Again, 

5. He who is supposed to endure vicarious 
punishment, or suffer in the room and stead of 
another, must stand in such prior relation to or 
union with him, on whose behalf he is punished, 
as is necessary to support the delinquent's claim 
to an equitable discharge. But where could such 
a friend be found, standing judicially related to 
miserable man, to act as his surety, or as a day's- 
man, between him and his God, and lay his hand 
upon them both? Job ix. 33. xvii. 3. But on a 
supposition such a friend could have been pointed 
out, who was allowedly one in law with the sinner, 
yet he could not die, or suffer in his stead, though 
even desirous of it, because, 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 101 

6. No creature has power or authority over 
his own life, to lay it down when he pleases, nor 
even to suffer mutilation on behalf of his dearest 
friend ; for his life and his limbs are at the sole 
and only disposal of God, in whom we all live and 
move, and from whom we have our being. 

From the above, and similar considerations, it 
appears, that the nature of sin, and the condition 
of men, were such as totally to preclude every ray 
of hope, yea, every idea of the possibility of an 
atonement being made, or a reconciliation accom- 
plished. But in the glorious gospel, God has 
opened a door of hope for lost sinners. He has 
graciously provided and revealed a method of 
salvation, which finite wisdom could never have 
deemed possible, a contrivance wherein he hath 
abounded towards us in all wisdom and prudence. 
Eph. i. 8. For every difficulty vanishes when the 
glorious Immanuel is viewed as the atoning priest 
and bleeding victim.^ Here is infinite worth, value 

* Let us examine the preceding numbered paragraphs 
in the light of Scripture ; and we shall perhaps see more 
fully what was the meaning of our author, and what is 
Scripture truth on the subject which he discusses. He 
says, 

1. ^' He who would atone must offer what is of infinite 
value." The blood of bulls and lambs cannot atone, there- 
fore he says " lo i come." Now why ? that he might 
do what they could not : — ** he taketh away the first to 
establish the second." He came to ** take away sin by 
the sacrifice of himself." See Heb. x. 4— lO.—ix. 26. 



102 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

and virtue, infinite ability to obey the precepts of 
the law, and endure its awful penalty, without 
sustaining the loss of final felicity. He was holy, 
harmless and separate from sinners. But that he 

2. '* He must be man." And accordingly " He took 
not on him the nature of angels ; but he took on him the 
seed of Abraham." *' The word was made flesh." *'He 
must be able to bear the curse without destruction.'' 
And we read, *^ He was raised for our justification" after 
being " delivered for our offences," i. e. his resurrection 
evinced that his sacrifice was sufficient and accepted, and 
that justice had no further claims; and hence '* Christ 
being raised , dieth no more ; death hath no more dominion 
over him," and we are " begotten again to a lively hope of 
an incorruptible inheritance by his resurrection from the 
dead." Bee Heb. ii. 16. John i. 14. Rom. iv. 25. vi. 9. 
1 Pet. i. 3. ' 

*^ He must be innocent." And he was so. His blood 
was as that ^' of a lamb without blemish and without 
spot." He was just such a High Priest as our case 
required — ''holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sin- 
ners." Hence "he needed not," as the Levitical 
priests, ** to offer daily, first for his own sins, and then 
for those of the people." 1 Pet. i. 19. Heb. vii. 26. 27. 

4. " It is inequitable that an innocent person should 
sufi^er punishment ;" and it was not, strictly speaking, p^n- 
ishment which Jesus did endure. " But it became him by 
whom and for whom are all things, to make the Captain of 
our salvation perfect through, sufferings" and this^was done 
without iniquity, ''for he gave his life a ransom." It was 
not " taken from him ; but he laid it down of himself;''^ 
and had a right to do so ; being himself *' the Prince 



THE DOCTRI>"E OF ATONEMENT. 103 

might legally suffer, the just for the unjust, he who 
knew no sin was made sin for us. The Lord laid 
on him the iniquity of us all, which he hore in hrs 
own body on the tree, when he made his soul an 
offering for sin. Thus, through imputation, he 
was numbered with transgressors, and bore the 
sins of many, which he put away by the sacrifice 
of himself. What he did and endured in the room 
and stead of his people, was righteously placed to 
their account. He being graciously substituted in 
their stead, being their surety, made under the law", 
that he might redeem them from the curse of the 
law, being made a curse for them. He, therefore? 
kindly gave his life a ransom for his people, for he 
had authority and power to lay down his life, and 
power to take it up again. This commandment, 
says he, I received of my father. His propitiatory 

of life." See above under 6. Heb. ii. 10. Matt. xx. 28, 
John V. 26. 

5. " To render equitable the delinquent's discharge, he 
who suffers vicariously must have previously sustained 
a relation to him." Such a relation existed, and was 
recognized, and the promise of discharge to the delin- 
quents was given ; and it was based on the recog- 
nised existence of this relation. *'As for thee also by the 
blood of THY COVENANT I havo sent forth thy prisoners 
out of ths pit wherein is no water." Zech, ix. 11. 

6. *' No creature has power or authority over his own 
life, &c." But the Messiah is not a creature : he is 
" over all, God blessed for ever," '^ The second man is 
THE LORD from heaven." Rom. ix. 5. 1 Cor. xv. 

47. Ed. 



104 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES, 

death was according to the determinate counsel 
and forekiiowledge of God, and agreeable to the 
everlasting covenant, and therefore with his full 
approbation and free consent ; for the counsel of 
peace was between them both, (which will ever 
continue) and his delights were with the sons of 
men. 

Christ's atonement was illustrated by the various 
atonements under the law, [and was the central 
point of them.] The respective victims were with- 
out blemish ; were the property of the persons on 
whose account they were to be offered ; the crimes 
they were designed to expiate and atone for, were 
first solemnly confessed over them, and then as hav- 
ing sin placed on or transferred to them, they were 
offered up as the sinner's substitute, in consequence 
of which temporary forgiveness was obtained ; for 
these were only shadows of good things to come, 
and were offered year by year continually, but 
could never make the comers thereunto perfect, or 
take away sin as pertaining to the conscience. 
The law could make nothing perfect, but the bring- 
ing in of a better hope did : see Heb. x. Atonement 
is a declaration of divine righteousness, and a vin- 
dication of Jehovah's justice in condemning and 
punishing for sin ; therefore the act of Phineas, in 
taking vengeance in behalf of God on daring of- 
fenders, is called an atonement for the congrega- 
tion. Atonement is designed as a covering of the 
guilty soul; thereby their iniquities are covered^ 
and their transgressions are forgiven. When the 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 105 

congregation was numbered, it was enjoined on 
every man to give to tlie Lord a ransom for his 
soul ; the rich were not to give more than half a 
shekel,^ nor the poor less ; which was called atone- 
ment money, as thereby atonement was made for 
their souls. In consequence of which price, they 
were covered from the plague to which they were 
liable. See Exod. xxx. 12, 16. So Jesus gave 
himself a ransom for many : his people were bought 
with a price, not with silver or gold, but with the 
precious blood of the Son of God, in whom we 
have redemption, even the forgiveness of sins. By 
the blessed Jesus, the purity of God's law was fully 
approved and eternally preserved, its righteous 
claims established and fully confirmed ; its tremen- 
dous curse was by him endured, and his people 
exempted from wrath to come. In him mercy and 
truth are met together, righteousness and peace 
have kissed each other. He is the true antitype of 
the mercy-seat, whom God hath set forth to be a 
propitiation through faith in his blood. The seat 
of mercy, where Deity a])peared propitious, was 
the cover of, and supported by the ark, which con- 
tained and preserved the holy law which men had 
violated, denoting that the glory of God's righteous 
government must be secured before pardoning 
mercy could be discovered. To deny the glory 
and equity of God's law, by which sinners are con- 

* A little over twenty-five cents, and so within the com- 
pas^ of the poor* 



106 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

demned, antecedent to the gospel, is to undermine 
the foundation of mercy, and destroy the pillars 
which support the throne of rich, reigning grace. 
The blood of atonement, sprinkled annually on the 
mercy-seat by the high priest, was an acknowledg- 
ment of Israel's guilt, and Jehovah's just authority ; 
and likewise of their absolute dependence on his 
voluntary mercy,richly dispensed and gloriously dis- 
played, consistent with his infinite hatred to sin 
and inflexible regard to impartial justice and puni- 
tive equity. 

Some represent the atonement of Chnst as un- 
necessary in order to the pardon of sin, the remis- 
sion of which is, by them, considered as an act of 
divine clemency, without respect had to any merit 
attending the sufferings of Christ in the stead of 
those whose transgressions are forgiven. By this 
many have been perplexed, seeing such a repre- 
sentation and view of things evidently tends to 
lessen the odious nature of sin, tarnish the lustre 
of Jehovah's characterj and diminish the believer's 
obligation to Jesus. We therefore shall considerj 

1. It is undeniable that a consciousness of sin 
is attended with a fear of punishment in those who 
are not favored with a divine revelation. Hence 
the apostle, speaking of the heathen world, saysr 
"Who knowing the judgment of God, that they 
which commit such things are worthy of death." 
Rom. i. 32. But if punishment be not necessarily 
connected with transgression, how could the dread 
of suffering, and a conviction of the righteousness. 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 107 

of God in taking vengeance, be so deeply engraven 
on the hearts of those who did not know tlie will 
and determination of God, except as inferred from 
the natural obligation his creatures are under to 
glorify him as their Creator? No creature can 
possibly know what originates in, or is dependent 
upon, the sovereign will of God, without a divine 
revelation, but as the punishment of sin can be 
known where a revelation is not [possessed], there- 
fore the punishment of sin arises not from divine 
sovereignty, but from the essential purity, dignity 
and rectitude of Jehovah's nature : [and hence] 
there was a necessity for Christ, as the surety, to 
endure the penalty, in order to his people's enjoy- 
ing a pardon ; for sin is so abominable in God's 
sight, so contrary to his pure nature, that punish- 
ment for it cannot be dispensed with ; a sinner, as 
such, cannot be safe. Hence there was a necessity 
for Jesus the Saviour to put away sin, by the sac- 
rifice of himself, to endure the curse, that his peo- 
ple might be exempted from sin's demerit, enjoy 
heavenly blessings, and wear the celestial crown. 
2. Through the sufferings ofi Christ the essential 
righteousness of God is discovered, and his equity 
in acquitting the believer is thereby evidenced, and 
on that basis eternally established. It is Jesus 
Christ as a Redeemer, '' whom God hath set forth 
to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to 
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins 
that are past," (i. e. the sins of the Old Testament 
eaiuts,) "through the forbearance of God: to 



108 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

declare, I say, at this time, his righteousness, that 
he might be just and the justifier of him that be- 
lieveth in Jesus." Rom. iii. 25, 26. If God could 
with equity have pardoned sin, and justified crim- 
inals by an act of sovereign clemency, without an 
atonement, the death of Jesus did not render the 
sinner's acquittal just and righteous, which the 
apostle asserts. But as the equity of God in justi- 
fying the ungodly, depends upon the Saviour's 
suflTerings, therefore without his sufferings there 
could have been no pardon of sin granted ; for " all 
his ways are judgment, a God of truth, and with- 
out iniquity, just and right is he." Deut. xxxii. 4. 
When we say, God could not pardon sin without 
an atonement, or that "without shedding of blood 
there is no remission," a limitation of Jehovah's 
power is not intended, nor is it from thence infera- 
ble ; for pardon and justification are not produc- 
tions of Divine power, but are acts of his will. 
Besides, God cannot do what is improper. He 
cannot lie, he cannot deny himself; and of iniquity 
he says, " I cannot away with it ;" not owing to a 
deficiency in power, but the perfection of his purity 
and rectitude of his nature. 

3. God's gift of his Son to die for us, is always, 
in Scripture, admired as the greatest and most 
astonishing instance of his love to sinners, and 
considered as a blessing superior to any other con- 
ferred on his people. Hence the apostle infers, "if 
God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up 
for us all, how shall he not, with him, freely give us 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. ]09 

all things ?" Rom. viii. 32. But if sinners could 
have been made happy without Jesus, if there was 
no real necessity for his death, the gift of Christ, by 
such an awful supposition, is diminished in its value, 
and the favor sinks into the number of non-essen- 
tials in point of salvation and eternal felicity. 

4. If Divine justice could have dispensed with 
the punishtnent of sin, Christ was so precious to 
his righteous Father, and so entirely loved by him, 
that it is natural to suppose he would have been 
spared ; those agonizing sorrows and excruciating 
pains, under which he groaned and died, would 
not have been, without necessity, inflicted upon the 
darling of heaven. But as sin was placed to his 
account, it pleased the Father to bruise him, and 
put him to grief; though he pleaded to have the 
cup removed if possible, yet he spared him not. 
Now as in every other thing the Father heard him 
always, may we not from thence conclude, it was 
impossible for the connexion between sin and 
suffering to be broken ? Who can attend to the 
tremendous language of a sin-avenging God, say- 
ing, " Awake, O sword, against the man that is my 
fellow," smite him ; or seriously reflect on the dole- 
ful groans and bloody sufferings of the Son of God, 
in the garden, and on the cross ; and calmly con- 
clude there was no necessity for any thing of that 
nature. 

5. Those who are redeemed from sin, and reign 
with God in heavenly pomp and holy splendor, 
ascribe their deliverance and advancement to the 



110 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

kindness of Christ, and the efficacy of his suffer- 
ings ; for with triumphant pleasure and gratitude 
they sing, "Unto him that loved us, and washed us 
from our sins in his own blood, and hath made 
us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to 
him be glory and dominion for ever and ever, 
Amen." Rev. i. 5. 6. But how does the propriety 
of such acknowledgments appear, if what Jesus 
did was not at all necessary to their deliverance 
from sin and advancement to dignity and delight? 
From the above considerations it appears, there 
was a necessity for Jesus to die, the just for the 
unjust, that he might bring them to God. 

Some again admit the death of Christ was ne- 
cessary, in order to the forgiveness of sins, yet deny 
him the honour of properly meriting for his people 
an exemption from punishment, and assert that 
the efficacy of his sufferings as a sacrifice arose 
entirely from the ivill and appointment^ of God. 

* This opinion is sometimes advanced and advocated by 
persons who are the farthest possible fronn desiring to 
detract from the glory of the Redeemer. Let such per- 
sons carefully weigh the reasoning of this author, and 
they will see cause to relinquish their opinion. In con- 
firmation of his position the following considerations are 
offered to the reader. 

1. Sin cannot be forgiven without a satisfaction to 
eternal justice. Justice is an essential attribute of Deity ; 
if its claims are compromised, the basis of Divine govern- 
ment is undermined : for *' justice and judgment are 
the establishment (see margin) of his throne." Sin has 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. Ill 

That he became a mediator, surety, and sacrifice 
on behalf of his people, in consequence of Divine 
appointment, is undoubtedly evident; but that his 
value and worth, efficacy and merit, arose from 



merited punishment; its wages is death. Now the blood 
of bulls and goats cannot take away sin ; and yet it 7nust 
be removed, and blood (i.e. death) is requisite to remove 
it. Heb. ix. 22. ** The Lamb of God really taketh away 
the sin of the world," and Christ is that Lamb. Hence 
the death of Christ is a real sacrifice ; i. e. it takes away 
sin in virtue of its inherent efficacy ; and not merely 
because it was appointed to do so. *' He is the propitia- 
tion for our sins." 

.2. The Prophets taught the reality of his sacrifice. 
What other interpretation can be put on such passages 
as the following, by the simple student of the holy ora- 
cles ? Isa. liii. 4—6. 8, 10,11, 12. and Dan.ix. 24. 26. Here 
is nothing Indicative of the efficacy of his sufferings 
being derived from his being appointed ; but on the 
contrary, the clearest statements that his sufferings were 
substitutionary, and his sacrifice I'eal. True he was ^' set 
forth as a propitiation ;" but his being set forth did not 
render him such. He was set forth as such, because he 
was such, and as the apostle says, for these two purposes '• 
First, " that God might be just" in forgiving sin ; and 
Secondly, that he might appear just : — '' to declare his 
righteousness in the forgiveness of sins that are past," 
and " that God might be just and the justifier of him that 
beheveth " Now neither of these purposes could have 
been accomplished if justice had not been satisfied; 
unless (which will not be supposed) God should sacrifice 
his truth by appearing just^ when in fact he was not so. 



112 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

thence, can never be proved. God graciously 
provided and found the ransom, on which account 
jiardon, justification, and the whole of salvation 
is all of grace ; free exuberant grace, and rich 
mercy. That a person of such infinite worth and 
dignity as Immanuel, God's own, and only begotten 
Son, should die for sinners, is an unparalleled 
instance of favour and love. It is the wonder 
of angels, the terror of devils, and the joy and 
triumph of saints. But it is absurd to suppose 
his personal dignity arose from his debasement, 
that he became strong, because help was laid upon 

But if justice be satisfied with the death of Jesus, our 
position is established : for nothing but a " quid pro quo^' 
will satisfy it ; and the death of Christ was a real 
sacrifice. 

3. The New Testament writers are explicit to the 
same point. 2 Cor. v. 21. " He made him to be a 
sin-offering for us." Gal. .iii 13. ''. Christ hath redeemed 
us from the curse, — being made a curse for us." 1 Pet. ii. 
24. " Who his own self bare our sins in his own body 
on the tree." iii. 18- " Christ^sufFered for sins, the just 
for the unjust." 

The plain and obvious meaning of these passages is, 
that Jesus endured all that even handed justice required, 
instead of the designated objects in whose place he stood ; 
and thus secured, for them, exemption from its endurance. 
If he endured less than this, justice is not satisfied, and 
the Divine honor is tarnished. If he endured this, his 
death was, as we have seen above, a real sacrifice. 

Ed. 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 113 

iiim, or that his real worth arose from his appoint- 
ment to ransom miserable captives, and discharge 
the debt of prodigal transgressors. Christ was 
appointed, and agreed in covenant to do and suf- 
fer what he was under no natural obligation to 
perform or endure; and from his native dignity, 
worth, and ability, arose his merit and efficacy. 
To suppose God appointed his death to be effica- 
cious without real efficacy, or meritorious without 
personal merit, is a contradiction in terms, an 
awful reflection on the Divine understanding, and 
an affi*ont to common sense. Again, if God ac- 
cepted of the death of Jesus as meritorious, though 
it was not so in its own nature, then might he 
have pardoned sins by a simple act of sovereign 
clemency, without the death of his Son ; for it 
would surely have been equally just to have par- 
doned sin without a sacrifice, as to remit sin in 
consequence of that which is, in its nature, desti- 
tute of merit and efficacy. Once more, if merit 
and real efficacy arise only from the Divine ap- 
pointment, it would have been possible for the 
blood of bulls and of goats to have taken away 
sin, or any other animal would have been suf- 
ficient for the removal of guilt and saving lost 
sinners, if God had been pleased to have appointed 
such an end to have been answered by their death. 
But the direct contrary to the above is asserted 
by one who well understood and delighted in the 
doctrine of reconciliation. His words are: ''For 
it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of coats 
K 



114 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

should take away sins ;" Heb. x. 4, " which sacrifices 
can never take away sins ;" verse 11. " It was ne- 
cessary that the patterns of things in the heavens 
should be purified with these, but the heavenly 
things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 
But now once in the end of the world hath he 
(Christ) appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice 
of himself;" chap. ix. 23, 26. ''He hath made 
peace by the blood of his cross," Heb. ix. ]2; 
" having obtained eternal redemption for us," " made 
an end of sin, made reconciliation for iniquity, and 
brought in an everlasting righteousness," ''with 
w^hich the Lord is well pleased ;" Dan. ix. 24. Isaiah, 
xlii. 21. Therefore to every believer Jehovah says, 
"Fury is not in me." Isaiah xxvii. 4. 

It is hoped the above remarks may help the 
entangled Christian over the objections made 
against the necessity, merit, and efficacy of the 
Saviour's death, as an atoning sacrifice for sin, 
and tend to increase his knowledge of, faith 
in, and love to the blessed Jesus, as able to save 
to the uttermost all that come unto God by 
him. I should therefore add no more on the 
subject, were it not for another stumbling-block 
lately thrown in the way of believers, equally, if 
not more formidable in appearance than the 
above: Which is, if Christ was a Divine person, 
he could not atone for sin, because Deity could 
not die. 

This artful objection seems intended to draw 
the unwary Christian into a dreadful dilemma? 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 115 

either to give up the soul-supporting doctrine of 
the atonement, or to deny the divinity of the Son 
of God. The objection is the more dangerous, 
as it seems to look on the doctrine of atonement 
with a smiling, approving countenance. But in 
fact the design of it is to undermine the real per- 
sonal merit of Christ, and place the efficacy of 
liis blood to the account of God's appointment, as 
mentioned above. The evident, though disguised 
intention of the objection and lai.guage is plainly 
this: "Sinners, you must be content with a finite 
"creature Saviour, or none at all. If Christ be 
" God, he is too great to do you any essential 
"service as a Saviour, because Deity cannot die. 
"Therefore do not think sin is infinitely odious 
" and hateful to God. It does not demerit infi- 
" nite displeasure and punishment. If it did, 
" there could be no infinite satisfaction made to 
"God; for even supposing Christ to be Divine, 
*' his sacrifice could not be of infinite value, be- 
" cause as a Divine person he could not die." Let 
us calmly consider this formidable objection, and 
seriously attend to the supposed dreadful dilemma, 
io which will be found more artful sophistry, than 
argument and solid sense. 

Death always implies a separation or a loss of 
that wherein life consisted. Death, in the sense 
we are now called to consider it, is a separation 
of the principle of sensation and influence; thus 
it is said, " The body without the spirit is dead.'' 
Without the soul it is in a state of total inactivity* 



116 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

incapable of voluntary motion, and divested of all 
sensation. Now though the body only be the sub- 
ject of death, considered as a state of inactivity 
and insensibility^ yet the man is said to be dead, 
when soul and body, the constituent parts of hu- 
manity, are separated, although the soul or spirit, 
distinctly considered from the body, is not the 
subject of death. A spirit cannot die, because it 
is of a simple or uncompounded nature. There 
is no part of a soul, from whence another part of 
itself can be separated or divided. If a soul 
can be so separated, consciousness either dees, or 
does not, continue in each separated part. If 
^ each part remain conscious, then are they two 
souls, or two conscious subsistences. If one sepa- 
rated part of the soul remain unconscious, or in a 
state of insensibility, wherein does that supposed 
unconscious part differ from matter ? A. created 
spirit might cease to exist, if God so determined ; 
but die it cannot. Annihiliation is not death. 
What is annihilated has no existence^ but what is 
dead exists, however its form be changed. There 
is therefore no force in the objection, JDeity cannot 
die; for as no spirit can die, it might as pertinently 
be objected, if Christ had a soul he could not 
atone for sin, because a soul cannot die. But the 
death of a spirit cannot be supposed ; in that 
case, death is not predicable ; yet a man being 
composed of body and spirit, is with propriety 
said to be dead, when matter and mind, those 
constituent parts of humanity, are separated. 



THE DOCTRir^E OP ATONEMENT, 117 

Dead saints are therefore said to "rest in their 
beds," in respect of their bodies: yet in reference 
to their souls, " each one is walking in his upright- 
ness." Death is therefore called a departure. 
" The time of ray departure is at hand." Now as 
the Divine and human Spirit of our Immanuel ceas- 
ed to animate his body, the person of the Mediator 
may as properly be said to have been dead, as the 
person of Samuel, David, or any other. It may 
be necessary to observe, that death does not dis- 
solve the relation between the body and spirit, 
but death consists in a total cessation of vital in- 
fluence, or a removal from the body, for a period, 
of the principle of sensation and animation. But 
the relative union still continuing, therefore the 
spirits of martyrs are represented as concerned 
about, and longing for their bodies, which were 
killed for the cause of Christ on earth, and at the 
resurrection every soul will have its own body. 
As through the separation of body and soul, and 
the relation between them being undissolved, the 
7nan is properly dead, and yet the soul not changed 
in its natural powers ; so, in like manner, and for 
the same reason, it appears the person of the 
Mediator was really dead for a time, his precious 
body not being animated by, though related to, 
his human and Divine spirit. Yet his death does 
not imply or suppose the least change or mutabil- 
ity in its Divine nature, nor any alteration in 
the powers and properties of his soul. Agreeably 
to the above view of things we are told, that when 



118 DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

the beloved disciple saw bis Lord in transcendent 
splendour and majestic glory, and fell at bis feet 
as dead, the reviving and compassionate language 
of Jesus was, "Fear not, I am the first and the last^ 
be that livetli and was dead, and behold I live 
for evermore, amen ; and have the keys of bell 
and death." Rev. i. 17, 18. That he, the first and 
the last, was dead, is again repeated in the solemn 
message sent to the church at Smyrna. Rev. ii. 8. 
Thus it appears that there is no force at all in the 
objection aforesaid ; for instead of Christ's divinity 
rendering him incapable of atoning for sin, the 
infinite virtue and value attending the sufferings 
of bis humanity arose from its union with the 
Divine nature, as one person. By virtue of which 
union bis blood is divinely precious, and called 
the blood of God: like as the spirits under the 
altar call the blood with which they sealed their 
testimony for God, when in the body, our hlood,^ 

*To elucidate the above subject, and render it plain to 
young Christians J it may not be amiss to observe the follow- 
ing easy illustrative gradations. There is a value or 
worth attending simple matter considered as the produc- 
tion of God, who made everything good, yea, very good ; 
yet animated matter is superior to what is not so, though 
it were an inferior form; otherwise a living dog would 
not be better than a dead lion, nor the body of a man 
preferable to a bag of sand. Animated bodies arise in 
value and respect, in proportion to the natural superiority 
of the spirits by which they are governed and influenced ; 
though the body of a sparrow is the subject of animation 



THE DOCTRINE OF ATONEMENT. 119 

May the Lord the Spirit less these attempts to 
remove the stumbling-blocks out of the way of 
serious inquiries after the truth as it is in Jesus. 

as much as the body of a man, yet a human body is of 
more value than many sparrows. Again, the importance 
of actions through the medium of matter arises from the 
volitions and influence of the spirit by which they are 
performed; w^ere it not so, the action of a man would 
not excel those of a monkey. Moreover, in regard to 
human nature, there is a great disproportion in real worth, 
arising from internal qualities, or external dignity ; for 
scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradven- 
ture for a good man, some would even dare to die. 
HenceDavid's adherents said, T/ioiz art worth ten thousand 
of us. How infinitely precious, and worthy then was the 
Divine Jesus, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the God- 
head bodily. May every believer's heart glow with love 
to him, and gratitude for him, and say, with unfeigned 
lips, " Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift^ 



120 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

PART II. 

EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES 



CHAPTER I. — A SINNER S WARRANT TO APPLY TO 
CHRIST. 

Stumbling-blocks relating to christian ex- 
perience are various; and what generally appears 
first in view is, respecting what right or warrant an 
undone sinner hath to apply to Jesus as a Sa- 
viour. It is common for those who are convinced 
of sin, and see the need of salvation, to look for 
some good thing in them, as the ground of en- 
couragment for their applying to and closing 
with the blessed Jesus. But finding themselves 
altogether vile, sinful, and unworthy, they appre- 
hend it would be daring presumption in their pre- 
sent condition to trust in, or apply to him for sal- 
vation. The stumbling-block, in this case, seems 
to arise from a mistaken apprehension,^ accounting 

*There is another misapprehension, the correction of 
which may relieve the perplexity of the persons in 
question. They confound Christ, the Messiah, with 
simple Deity ; and as God " cannot look on iniquity with 
allowance, they draw the same conclusion respecting 
Christ ; especially if they cordially believe the truth 
of his Deity. But Christ, though truly and properly 
God; is not merely and only God. To God the sinner 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 121 

that which supports a person's right to come to 
Christ is synonymous with, or equivalent to, what 
evidences an interest in him ; or, in other words, 
persons want to know that they are really convert- 
ed before they dare apply to Jesus. What greatly 
tends to entangle and retard the progress of such 
souls, are certain injudicious and dangerous max- 
ims relating to experimental religion. 

First ; Some will say, and many suggest, that it 
is not the duty of unconverted people to pray. But 
if so, in order to a conviction of prayer being a 
duty, the prayerless person, even while continuing 
so, must have evidence of a conversion to God, 
which is ridiculously absurd. Though Peter per- 
ceived that Simon the sorcerer was in the gall of 
bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, yet he direct- 
ed him to penitence and prayer. It is evident there 
can be no gracious acts, but in consequence of 
gracious principles ; yet it is equally evident, that 

needs a medium of approach ; — not so to Christ, who is, 
ill one person, God and man. To him the sinner may 
approach as a sinner. To the Father, no man can ap- 
proach but by Christ ; but to Christ the sinner may come 
immediately. True, Christ infinitely hates sin^ and hates 
it in the applicant ; but he is the friend of the szwner, and 
to him the sinner may come confidently. And every sin- 
ner may do so ; for the warrant of an approach to him is 
not any merit in the applicant, nor any knowledge of the 
divine purpose to accept him in particular ; but it is the 
invitation given to ally and a knowledge from divine de- 
clarations, of a purpose to receive all who apply. — Ed. 
Li 



122 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

gracious principles cannot be discerned but hy 
gracious acts ; therefore such acts nriust necessarily 
precede, or be prior to the discernment of a spiritual 
principle. It is therefore impossible for any man 
to know or feel himself to be the subject of grace 
while he is prayerless, or to have the least evidence 
of his relation to Christ, without a reliance upon 
him and delight in him. 

To assert, therefore, that persons are not to pray 
till they are converted, is dangerous and absurd. 
Dangerous, as it leads into a state of deception, 
into the very essence of pharisaism ; for such as 
think themselves converted before they come to 
Christ, by penitential prayer and faith, found their 
hopes on self-righteousness : the secret language 
of their deceived hearts is, God he thanked, I am 
not now like other men, stand by, thou unconverted 
sinner, I am holier than thou. Such do not go to 
Christ as a trembling criminal, but a confident 
convert ; not as an undone sinner, but a self-admir- 
ed saint. Again ; such a representation is danger- 
ous, as it tends to fatal security, and keeps a carnal 
mind in profound and fatal peace ; for a man lives 
without prayer, and consequently without God, yet 
his conscience does not, cannot accuse him with 
the neglect of duty. If he ought not to pray, an 
aversion to pray is not a criminal, but a commenda- 
ble disposition ; for surely a person is much to be 
commended for being averse to what he ought not 
to do. If it be said, an unregenerate man ought 
not to pray, because while in such a state they are 



WARRAIVT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 123 

incapable of spiritual actions, such objectors ought 
to point out what duties the unconverted can per- 
form acceptably, or allow that they are not bound 
to the perforujance of any ; and if not under obli- 
gation to obedience, they are not chargeable with 
sin, and consequently are in a state of safety, not 
being exposed to punisfiment; for whoever are 
not culpable need not fear the Divine displeasure. 
But G'^)d has said he will pour out his fury on all 
them who caii not on his name. 

It is shocking to think any poor sinner should 
be taught to consider himself exempted from an 
acknowledgment to God for the mercies he enjoys, 
and likewise from an a[)plication to him for present 
or futur ; favors. Besides, it is absurd to assert, 
that a person oight not to pray until he feels him- 
self converted, for it is much the same as saying 
a man ought not to ask for guidance till he knows 
he is rirht, nor seek for a cure till he feels himself 
healed. 

Secondly: A second stumbling maxim is. No 
man can be the subject of genuine repentance 
till he !>eholds by faith the Redeemer as dying for 
bis transgressions, or at least have hope that his 
sins are forgiven him. A poor wounded sinner 
not being so favored, is thereby taught to consider 
the way to the Saviour as barred against him ; yea 
to conclude it wouh! be xp affront to the Lord, a 
horrid provocation to God, for him to pray, Take 
away all iniquity ; o*' so much as to cry, God be 
merciful to me a sinner: for all such language is 



124 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES* 

only solemn mocking in the lipsof the impenitent 5 
and impenitent such must be, who are destitute of 
real repentance. But is it not strange that a per- 
son cannot be sorry for a fault till he hopes he 
shall not be punished ; nor sincerely beg for afavor 
till he enjoys it ? How shall a person while he is 
in a state of impenitency know, or what is his war- 
rant to conclude, that Christ died for him in parti- 
cular ? There is nothing in Scripture to encourage 
an impenitent sinner to believe or hope he is in a 
safe condition, but the very reverse is plainly and 
awfully expressed, " Thou, — after thy hardness 
and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself 
wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of 
the righteous judgment of God." Rom. ii. 5. " For 
except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." 
Luke xiii. 3. "If we confess our sins, God is 
faithful and just to forgive us our sins;" but the 
sense of no Scripture is, if God will give us assur- 
ance, or hope of a pardon, we will be faithful and 
just to acknowledge our offences. If there be no 
true repentance till the soul behold by faith the 
Redeemer as dying for its sins, then are we pre- 
sented with a view of an impenitent believer, or 
one who believes his sins are pardoned, for the 
commission of which he was never sorry. The 
Scriptures represent the nature of repentance and 
faith, and the connexion between them, as the very 
reverse of those raw and rash assertions before 
referred to, " Repent and be converted, that your 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 125 

sins may be blotted out when the times of refresh- 
ing shall come from the presence of the Lord." 
Acts iii. 19. Repentance towards God and faith 
towards our Lord Jesus Christ are subjects so im- 
portant and comprehensive, as to include the sub- 
stance of the great apostle's ministry: the necessity 
of repentance in order to the hope of pardon 
through faith in the blood of Jesus, he constantly 
inculcated and testified both to the Jews and 
Greeks. Acts xx. 21. 

Christ is exalted to give first repentance ; and 
then remission of sins to Israel. Acts v. 31. Par- 
don of sin is never, in all the Scripture, declared 
as belonging to the impenitent, but its uniform 
language is agreeable to the solemn assertion of 
the Son of God ; "Except ye repent, ye shall all 
likewise perish." Luke xiii. 3. 5. Therefore the 
belief of a pandon is not prior to repentance • 
repentance indeed implies knowledge of, and belief 
in the righteous and holy nature of God and his 
Jaw, and a persuasion of personal criminality, as 
represented in the word of God. It consists in a 
pungent sense of the evil of sin; — a loathing and 
hearty forsaking of it, and humiliation for it ; joined 
with a justification of the righteousness of God in 
passing sentence on the guilty criminal. Repent- 
ance therefore implies, and is accompanied with 
the primary actings of faith, and is the immediate 
effect of grace in the soul ; but the first actings 
of faith are not a believing the person is pardoned, 



126 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

nor even a reliance* on Christ for the remission of 
sin. Nothing can be more false than that an impeni- 
tent person has a revealed right to pardon ; if he 
ought to believe he is pardoned before he repents, 
then he ought to believe a lie. But the most firm, 
hearty, and constant belief of a falsehood will 
never make it a truth. To suppose a person to 
believe in Christ as a dying Saviour, without 
repentance, is the same as supposing a man to 
need a physician, and long for a cure, while he is 
whole. But that such need not a physician, but 
they that are sick ; see Matt. ix. 12. It is impos- 
sible such a faith can be right, which springs from 

* If the true meaning of the author appear in the text, 
the Editor questions, at least, its correctness. If a re- 
liance on Christ for the remission of sins be not the prima- 
ry act of faith, the author should have told his readers 
what that act is. It is not indeed a beRef that sin is ac- 
tually 7 emitted prior to reliance on Christ ; but it is a re- 
liance on him for it, i. e. an expectation of the blessing of 
remission from him. It may, perhaps, be said that the 
first act of faith is submission to Christ — a commitment 
of the whole soul to him, to be disposed of by his sovereign 
will, and this under the influence of Esther's sentiment, 
*' If I perish — 1 perish;" — but then we would ask 
whether there is not even in this commitment of the soul 
to Jesus, a forlorn hope, at least, that it may be his will 
to pardon and save ? If this be admitted, it is all for which 
we contend: such a commitment of the soul includes a 
reliance on Christ for remission of sins : — it says 
" Other refuge have I none, 
Helpless hangs my soul on thee." Ed. 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 127 

an impenitent heart, and which consists in believ- 
ing that to be a fact, of the truth of which there is 
no evidence. If such a faith be not genuine, how 
can a false faith produce true repentance ? Re- 
pentance is proved to be of a genuine spiritual 
nature, by its continuance and increase, when the 
fault repented of is remitted. But the conviction 
of blame does not spring from a forgiveness of the 
crime. Legal repentance, or the terrific operation 
of the law on the conscience without the grace of 
the gospel, arises from the sense of danger, and is 
continued and increased only by the fear of pun- 
ishment ; therefore when danger disappears, and 
self is supposed to be safe, such a repentance im- 
mediately dies, the idea of danger being its sole 
support. But true repentance, arising from a 
change of heart, a new and holy principle, and 
consisting in an aversion to sin, considered in its 
power and pollution, as well as its punishment, 
therefore a sense of pardon (though it does not 
give existence or being to repentance) greatly 
increases a godly sorrow for sin, the evil of which 
is more deeply impressed on the mind from a view 
of the Saviour's sufferings, and the infinitely amia- 
ble character of God as a righteous lawgiver and 
loving Father. Such a view melts the soul into 
evangelical sorrow for sin, and inflames the mind 
with indignation against it, and a vehement desire 
after its total destruction ; called by the apostle 
revenge. 2 Cor. vii. 11. When God pours on his 
chosen the spirit of grace, he first convinceth the 



128 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

soul of sin, and is then to his people a Spirit of 
supplication ; and such suppliants, saith the Lord, 
shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and 
they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his 
only son. Zech. xii. 10. The language of the 
true penitent, under the enjoyment of a full par- 
don, is beautifully set forth in the following 
lines : — 

Whilst, with a melting, broken hearty 
My murdered Lord I view, 
I'll raise revenge against my sins, 
And slay the murderers too. 

Watts. 

Again, thirdly: It is frequently asserted, that 
a true faith in Christ is inseparably connected with 
the knowledge of an interest in him, or that there 
can be no proper believing in Jesus without con- 
sidering him as a person's own : this has proved a 
stumbling block to many ; for as common sense 
suggests the absolute necessity of evidence, in order 
to support a claim, and the soul before it goes 
to Christ not having that evidence, therefore is 
discouraged from applying to him, till proof of 
an interest in him appear. Laboring in vain for 
marks and signs, as evidences of their belonging to 
Christ, in order to warrant or encourage their 
application to him, they conclude there is no hope, 
they are none of his chosen and redeemed, fyc. 
But there is no doctrine contained in the gospel, 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 129 

nor even any threatening in the law of God, which 
is, in its own nature, a bar to an undone sinner's 
coming to Christ fur salvation. Their right to come 
to Christ, does not in the least depend upon, or arise 
from,a^rior knowledge of interest in special bless- 
ings, or /eeZtng* themselves the subjects of superna- 
tural principles. Such knowledge, such experience, 
is impossible to be obtained, but in consequence 
of believing in or receiving Jesus the Saviour ; for 
he who believeth not, is declared to be under con- 
demnation , — the wrath of God abideth on him. 
To attempt, therefore, to define, as some do, who 
ought, and who ought not to return to God by 
Christ, is daring presumption, and tends to discou- 
rage the soul, and rivet the fetters of guilt, where 
a sense of meanness and misery prevails, and in 
others, to encourage self-righteousness, by estab- 
lishing the idea of previous fitness in order to 
salvation. 

If any one should ask, Have I a right to apply 
to Jesus the Saviour, simply as a poor, undone, pe- 
rishing sinner, in whom there appears no good 
thing? I answer. Yes ; the gospel proclamation is, 
"Whosoever will, let him come." "To you, O 
men, I call, and my voice is to the sons of men." 
Prov. viii. 4- The way to Jesus is graciously laid 
open for every one who choses.to come to him. 
His arms of mercy are expanded to receive the 
coming soul. Fear not, poor sinner, to approach 
him, he will not, on any account, cast thee out. 
John vi. 37. He does not receive with reluctance ; 



180 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

no, it is his joy, it is his dehght to save to the 
uttermost all that come unto God by him. Con- 
sider, the painful work of salvation is now, with 
him, for ever over. His endearing invitations to 
poor heavy-laden sinners, his melting expostula- 
tions with them, and gracious reception of them, 
are left on record as the warrant, and for the 
encouragement of sinners; therefore, the worst of 
such, even the vilest of the vile, may come and 
apply to him for salvation from sin and sorrow. 
However remote you are, however great the dis- 
tance from him, he kindly invites you to view 
him as the almighty Saviour ; saying, " Behold me ; 
Behold me /" Isaiah, Ixv. 1. " Look unto me, all ye 
ends of the earthy and he ye saved, for I am God, 
and there is none else,^^ Isaiah, xlv. 22, The gra- 
cious grant is indefinite ; — the way to Jesus is open 
and free for whosoever will, without exception ; 
nothing that God has done, or said, is in its 
nature an obstacle. None can in truth say they 
desire salvation, but may not apply for it, or 
cannot attain it. To infer that personal unwor- 
thiness, or any scriptural doctrine, is a bar in 
their way to Jesus, is either the effect of strong 
temptations, or owing to the want of attention 
to the grace of God displayed in the gospel. 
There is no preventive bar in the sinner's way 
to the Saviour, but what arises from a carnal 
heart; such as impenitency for sin, an attach- 
ment to self-righteousness, and an avowed aver- 
sion to the holy perfections of God and his sove- 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 131 

leign methods of grace. But let it be observed, 
that a grant to come to Christ does not support a 
claim, or give a right to conclude they shall be 
saved by Jiim. No, such a conclusion is only 
inferable from our having really believed in his 
name ; a right to go to Christ is no proof we 
have done so.^ What evidences a person's being 
a true believer is quite distinct from what war- 
rants his applying to the Saviour: the latter arises 
from what God in his word says to him; the for- 
mer appears from the change which is wrought in 
him. To put persons, therefore, upon examining 
themselves whether they have faith, before they 
believe, is extremely injudicious ; and to encourage 
professors in the persuasion they are believers, 

*These two things cannot be too clearly distinguished. 
Many, perhaps, perish through confounding them. 
Ascertaining that they have the warrant to apply to 
Christ, they rest satisfied without actual application; 
and yet take to themselves the consolations which belong 
only to those who have applied. Let the reader take the 
following illustration of the case : I receive a card of 
invitation to a sumptuous entertainment; and this card 
is my warrant for attending it. But 1 may have this 
warrant, and yet never participate in the provisions of 
the feast: — these are for those only who go to it. The 
card is not the provisions ; and 1 shall be infatuated if I 
boast of the provisions as mine, because I have been 
invited to partake of them. I must go to the entertain- 
ment, and then the invitation I have received insures for 
me a participation of the provisions. Ed. 



l32 EXPERIMENTAL DiFFICtJLTIES. 

without Scripture evidence of an internal change, 
is awfully dangerous. 

It would be a great advantage to inquiring 
souls, and discouraged Christians, as well as pre- 
sumptuous professors, to have right ideas of the 
nature of faith, or what it is to believe to the 
saving of the soul. Faith is a believing the Divine 
testimony. For he that believelh not niaketh 
Go(J a liar. Faith in Christ is a crediting what 
the Scriptures assert concerning him ; which 
may be comprised in the following three things t 
That he is, — what he is, — and whose he is. — The 
first is absolutely necessary ; for, saith Jesus, 
" Except ye believe that I am he," viz. the real and 
true Messiah, the promised Saviour, "ye shall die 
in your sins." But it is not enough to believe 
this, which wicked men may do ; Simon the 
sorcerer did, and devils believe it and tremble. 
These evil spirits knew him to be Christ the Son 
of the living God. Luke iv. 41. But true faith, 
with which salvation is connected, consists in 
believing likewise, what he is. Truths, respecting 
his person, offices, works, and relations, may be 
assented to, by such as hath no faith in his 
excellency, but have an enmity against what he 
is. But to them that believe Christ is precious ; 
he is declared to be the chief among ten thou- 
sand, and altogether lovely. The gracious soul 
heartily believes him to be so, and therefore can 
sincerely adopt the language as his own. His 
personal qualities, with the nature and design of 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 133 

his work and offices, the real Christian beheves. 
He gives credit to the Divine testimony, not 
only in respect of its reality, but hkewise its holy 
nature and spiritual tendency. The tidings con- 
cerning the person of Christ, and his infinite 
fulness of merit and grace, are declared to be 
good, as well as true ; the renewed soul believes 
them to be so, even the only satisfying portion 
that an immortal mind can possess. He receives 
them as every way suited to his present circum- 
stances, as guilty and impure; being divinely 
adapted to render him holy and happy for ever. 
This is what the Scripture calls an embracing, 
when true faith is the subject under immediate 
consideration. See Heb. xi. 13. 

Saving faith is differently denominated in Scrip- 
ture, but always exactly corresponding with the 
various representations of Christ in the gospel. 
Is he lifted up as an object to be beheld ? Be- 
lievers " look to him" as the wounded Jews did to 
the brazen serpent lifted up in the wilderness for 
their relief. Is he a ^' giftV^ Faith as such "?•€- 
ceives^^ him. As he is called the " bread of life,'^^ 
believing is termed an " eating or living upon'^ him. 
Considering him as a support, faith is described as 
a leaning upon him. He is called a faithful friend ; 
and faith is then denominated a " confiding or trust- 
ing"^^ in him. He is set forth as a ^^refuge,^^ and 
faith is then termed a " running or flying^^ to him 
for safety. He is represented as the husband of his 
people, and then their faith is called giving them- 



134 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

selves to Mm* Many more instances might be pro» 
duced of the diversification of believing in Christ, 
according as its object is represented ; for the pur- 
pose of setting forth the various infinite blessings 
in him, and benefits flowing from him, who is the 
real believers's all in all. But I hope the above 
few instances may suffice to illustrate the true 
Christian's belief in Jesus respecting what he is ; 
with which faith salvation is inseparably connected 
in the Scriptures of truth. As to faith in the third 
sense, i. e. Whose he is : Faith, or believing in the 
last sense, if right, must be founded on the Divine 
word as well as the former ; for that must sink 
which has not " Thus saith the Lord^^ for jjits sup- 
port. If faith be a beliving the Divine testimony, 
then the grand inquiry ought to be, who the 
Scripures declare to be interested in Christ?* To 

* The author has here insensibly blended things which 
are distinct. He is speaking of the faith which secures 
the soul, and asserts that this faith consists in believing 
the testimony of Scripture conserning Jesus. So far he 
is clear and correct. But when he would comprise this 
testimony under the three heads, That he is ; What 
he is ; and Whose he is, we begin to be sensible of con- 
fusion. The testimony as to " whose he is," is not given 
in any other way than describing their characters and 
dispositions. It is^ then, the testimony of Scripture con- 
cerning them and not him which is now believed : i. e. 
it is a perception that in them are found the characteris- 
tics of real believers. This is indeed faith ; and faith 
too, in a divine testimony ; but it is a testimony concern^ 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 135 

enforce the solemn inquiry, and lead to solid satis 
faction in a matter so infinitely important, we may 
observe two things, which I suppose will readily 
be granted by every person of common under- 
standing. 

1. All men are not savingly interested in Christ, 
for some are declared to be none of his. 

2. No man is described as belonging to Christ 
by his personal name, situation in life, external 
profession, natural connexions, or descent; there- 

ing believers ; and hence not the faith which secures the 
soul ; for that, as our author says, page 132, is a belief of 
the testimony of Scripture concerning Christ, or as John 
says, of ^' the record that God gave concerning his Son.'' 
Our author has confounded ^* the nature of Faith," with 
the ** Evidences of Grace," and it is important to the 
feeble traveller in the way to Zion that this confusion 
should be pointed out; lest, if Iiisown evidences should 
be less bright than is desirable, he should conclude his 
faith to be wrong, and the Saviour not his. The reason- 
ing of the author, through a failure to distinguish things 
which differ, would lead to the absurdity which he suc- 
cessfully combats in a following paragraph; viz: 
that only those are interested in Christ who believe 
themselves to be so ; for it tends to the establishment of 
the position that our faith, to be right in the third sense, 
must believe '* that we are the characters whom the 
Scriptures declare to be interested in Christ" Now our 
faith may be right, and yet many doubts be entertained 
on this point ; for he that really ** fears the Lord and 
obeys the voice of his servant" may, nevertheless, *' walk 
in darkness and have no lisht." Isa. 1. 10. Ed. 



136 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

fore it follows, that some other description of the 
persons must be sought for, distinct from the 
above, on which the belief for a saving interest in 
Christ may be founded. 

Who then have a right, according to Scripture, to 
conclude Christ is theirs, and they are his ? Some 
there are whose common reply to the impor- 
tant query is, Christ belongs to those who believe them- 
selves savingly interested in him. But the query re- 
turns. On what is such a faith or belief founded ? If 
their right to Christ arise from believing him to be 
theirs, they had no title to him before they so believ- 
ed; therefore the thing was false when they first 
believed it true ; and it is very extraordinary indeed 
that a falsehood should become a truths by its being 
confidently believed, or industriously propagated. 
Faith makes no alteration in the nature of the thing 
believed. What is true does not become false be- 
cause it is discredited. Nor is it possible a lie 
should change its nature, and become true, however 
a person may strive to keep up a firm persuasion 
of its being a truth, and labor against doubting its 
reality. It might be happy for such professors, 
whose faith is founded on falsehood, if they could 
be made ashamed of their assurance, by a deep 
conviction of their being under a strong delusion, 
that they believe a lie, and rejoice in a thing of 
nought. (See 2 Thess. ii. 11. Amos vi. 13.) In 
this condition, those, most certainly are, who be- 
lieve Christ is theirs without any scriptural evi- 
dence to support the persuasion. But alas! thje 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 137 

bands of such are generally made strong by the joy 
that accompanies their confidence ; for, taking it for 
granted their faith is right, they apply to them- 
selves the promises of salvation, and think it would 
be a sin to doubt of their safety, and a much great- 
er to cast aw^ay their confidence, which they ap- 
prehend will meet with a great recompense of 
reward. Such despise all evidences of a change 
of heart, and of the disposition of the soul, as legal 
and low: their maxim is, The iveaker the evidence 
the stronger the faith. Some of the class referred 
to have defined faith to consist in a believing that 
Christ died for my sins in particular. Such adefi- 
nition, to be sure, is consistent enough with the 
sentiment of universal redemption. For all who 
believe that doctrine must have such a faith, unless 
they should happen to doubt their being of the 
human species. But that faith does not ensure the 
salvation of any man, unless all men be saved. 
Nay, if the sentiment aforesaid be granted, the 
salvation of no man can be inferred from an interest 
in the Saviour's death, because each of those in hell 
(if it be allowed any of the human race are there) 
may with as much truth as those in heaven, say, 
Jesus loved me, and gave himself for me. Such a 
faith is therefore destitute of evidence of a saving 
interest in Christ.^ 

* In the endeavour to be brief, our author, here, becoir.es 
obscure. If, after repeated perusals of the above sen- 
tences, I have a correct idea of the writer's meaning, it 
M 



138 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIE 

Others have asserted that faith is a believing 
Christ to he a person^s own, without any evidence 
from Scripture, sense or reason. Be not discouraged, 
ye seeking souls, with the boasted attainments of 
such believers as aforesaid, who glory in their 
freedom from doubts about their soul's salvation. 
You have a more sure word of prophecy, to which 
ye do well to take heed, as to a light shining in a 
dark place. God has, in his word, given a full 
description of all those who are interested in 
Christ, and are, as such, heirs of his salvation ; 
those who answer the description have a right to 
conclude, that through the grace of the Lord Jesus 
they shall he saved. Those who have not the spirit 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, (however they may 
make their boast of God, as the carnal Jews did,) 
they are none of his. Rom. viii. 9 ; and they that 
are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affec- 
tions and lusts. Gal. v. 24 ; they give full consent 
to the death of sin, and heartily cry respecting all 

is the following : " The belief that Christ died for my 
sins in particular" corresponds with Universalism, for 
all Universalists must believe that Christ died for their 
sins in particular. And if any sinners of the human race 
are in the world of misery, they too, may, if Uni- 
versalism be, on this point, correct, believe that Christ 
died for theirsins in particular. Hence, the belief that 
he so died for my sins does not secure my salvation ; for 
some who are not saved, may believe the very same, and 
hence I may be lost as well as they. This faith, then, 
is not that which saves the soul. Ed. 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. 139 

their iniquities, Away with them, crucify them. 
They wish every sin to be the object of universal 
contempt, and would gladly put them to open 
shame. They account them the worst enemies tc 
Ood and their souls; and such is their enmitv 
against those grand deceivers, that nothing cai; 
satisfy them short of their total destruction. The 
Spirit of God in the word, in describing the char- 
acter of real saints, heareth witness with our spirits 
which are conscious of a real change, that we ar: 
the children of God; and if children, then heirs 
heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus 
Rom. viii. 16, 17. Therefore, he that believeth oi; 
the Son of God, hath the witness in himself 
That is, he is conscious of the acts of his owr 
soul, that they are in nature and kind, however 
they are deficient in degree, what the people of 
God in the Scriptures are described by. 

Every Christian, therefore, habitually believes 
that such persons as answer to the description 
of saints, whether themselves or others, shall have 
everlasting life, {and that no other but such shall 
be saved.) He that believeth not God, hath made 
him a liar, because he believeth not the recorc' 
that God gave of his Son ; and this is the record 
that God hath given to us eternal life; and thi 
life is in his Son; 1 John, v. 10, Jl. There is ; 
cordial believing in Christ respecting both, tha 
he is, and what he is, and likewise respecting whos 
he is, in reference to the true character of thos 
interested in him, before the believer may be full 



140 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

satisfied respecting his own personal claim to 
Chrit^t. The apostle Paul, writing to the saints at 
Ephesus, and speaking of himself and others who 
■jrst trusted in Christ, adds, In whom ye also 
'rusted^ after that ye heard the word of truths the 
gospel of your salvation. In whom also after that 
je believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of 
jromise. Eph. i. 13. A seal is a visible impression 
made for the purpose of confirmation ; the saints 
were not confirmed in their personal interest in 
Lhe promises, till after they trusted, or believed in 
Christ. Another apostle, in a letter to the people 
)f God in general, says, these things have I 
vvritten unto you that believe on the name of 
he Son of God, that ye may know that ye have 
eternal life ; and that ye may believe on^the name 
)f the Son of God. 1 John, v. 13. He had in the 
;itter laid down several marks, by which the 
aints are distinguished from others, such as 
jedience to God, hatred to sin, and love to the 
)rethren, and hereby (says he) we know that we 
:now him. Chap. ii. 3. The weak among 
!iem, which he called little children, he was con- 
ulent, from the appearance of real holiness, that 
!iey were in a happy and safe condition, having 
iieir sins forgiven for Christ's sake. Yet these 
were not fully confirmed, though they had believed 
> the saving of the soul; therefore, what he 
lad wrote for their serious consideration, was m 
>rder that they might be assured of eternal life, 
)eing included among those of whom he speaks m 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST. HI 

the preceding verse, That have the Son, He sup- 
poses some professors might believe without evi- 
dencsy* and boldly say, fFe have fellowship with 
God, Chap. i. 6. Says another, I know him, chap, 
ii. 4. and abide in him, verse 6. / love God. 
Chap. iv. 20. Yea, he supposes some professors 
might boast of having attained to sinless perfec- 
tion, chap. i. 8. But without any ceremony he 
pronounceth all those who claim a title to salva- 
tion, without evidence of sanctification, to be self- 
deceived, and strangers to God and truth. Chap, 
i. 6, ii. 10, iv. 20. He calls them to the bar of 
conscience, and asserts that those, and those only, 
whose hearts do not condemn them, have confi- 
dence towards God. Chap. iii. 19, 21. every 
true Christian is possessed of what Jesus terms an 
honest heart, Luke viii. 15. They would not, 
they dare not claim, or take possession of what 
is not their own ; they are persuaded those who 
do, will be rejected at last, and made ashamed of 
their hope and presumptuous persuasion. A God 
of truth can never require any man to believe a 

* And even contrary to evidence ; as in these instan- 
ces : e. g. they might say, ^* We have fellowship with 
him," and yet " walk in darkness :" they might say, " I 
know him" and yet '* not keep his commandments :" 
they might say, " they abide in him," while yet they 
walk not as he walked : — they might say *' they loved 
God," and yet '' hate their brethren." Now as these 
are plainly incompatible : he who thus speaks and acts 
is a self-deceiver. Ed 



142 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

falsehood ; nor even any thing relating to a fact 
which is unrevealed. For instance, he requires 
men to believe there are three that bear record in 
heaven, and that these three are one, and the 
union of two natures in the person of Christ. 
But how th ese are one, being not revealed, is 
neither the object of faith, nor the subject of 
human understanding. The support of faith is the 
authority and fidelity of God. Hence the Scrip- 
tures are called the faithful word. Tit. i. 9; 
the true saying of God, Rev. xix. 9. And this is 
a faithful saying, (to be depended upon as an 
established fact,) and worthy of all acceptation^ 
(being fully proved to be infinitely good as well as 
true,) that Jesus Christ came into the world to save 
sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15. Faith therefore includes not 
only an assent to gospel truths, but a persuasion of 
their infinite worth and transcendent glory ; and 
personal interest therein ariseth from the evidence 
of having received the truth in the love of it; for 
faith, objectively considered, or as it respects the 
things believed by the Christian, is a compen- 
dium, or the substance of things hoped for, as 
published in the glorious gospel of the grace of 
God. Faith, subjectively considered, consisteth 
in the evidence of things not seen by the carnal 
mind, or corporeal eye. Heb. xi. 1 : which hidden 
realities, though concealed from the wise and 
prudent, are revealed unto babes. Matt. xi. 25; 
and every one who really receives Christ Jesus 
the Lord, to them he gives power, or authority, to 



WARRANT TO APPLY TO CHRIST, 143 

become the sons of God, even to them that believe 
on his name. How^ever weak their faith may be, 
they are possessed of that which is in its own 
nature an evidence that they are born not of blood, 
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of 
man, but of God. John, i. 12, 13. But though 
every heaven-born soul is the subject of what 
evidences a relation to God, he has not always 
light enough to discern it. Besides, a view of the 
depravity of his heart engages his attention, and 
frequently fills him with fear that he is not passed 
from death unto life. Such persons are referred 
to the following chapter. 



CHAPTER II. 

CONCERNING THE NEW BIRTH. 

Some gracious people are greatly discouraged 
because they cannot ascertain the time when they 
passed under such a change. They are persuaded 
of the truth, and are convinced of the propriety of 
the Lord's solemn asseveration, Verily, verily, I say 
unto thee, except a man he horn again, he cannot see, 
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. But not 
knowing the time when they were born again, and 
perhaps, through confused ideas of what is intend- 
ed by the term, they are kept in a state of uncom- 
fortable suspense, and their progress of vital 
religion is retarded, not knowing how to determine 
or by what rule to judge, whether they are, or are 



144 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

not, born again. To such persons I would pro- 
pose the following consideration : 

Do you know the exact time of your natural 
birth ? None can answer they do from their own 
knowledge and memory; and though some cannot 
obtain certain information from any one on what 
day, or even in what year they were born, yet 
they do not doubt of the fact. As effects in 
natural things lead back to their respective causes, 
and are infallible proofs of their reality, so it is in 
spiritual affairs. In this manner we are taught 
in Scripture to proceed, in order to gain assurance 
respecting facts which fall not under immediate 
personal observation. As, saith the apostle, every 
house is builded by some man ; as therefore every 
structure, from the princely palace to the meanest 
cottage, are incontestible proofs of human agency, 
so as saints are God's workmanship, created anew 
in Christ Jesus, and habitations of God through 
the Spirit, the nature of the change produced in 
them claims Jehovah for its author; therefore, as 
the apostle adds, he that buildeth all things is 
God. Heb. iii. 4. The great inquiry should be. 
Whether we are the subjects of the heavenly 
birth or not ? for as to the time when, it is an im- 
material circumstance, any further than as related 
to the question. How old art thou^ As it is not 
necessary to know the time of your natural birth, 
in order to prove your proper humanity, neither 
is the knowledge of your spiritual birth, as to the 
time when, at all needful to evidence your true 



CONCERNING THE NEW BIRTH. 145 

Christianity ; the change may be denrionstrably 
evident, though the time when it first commenced 
be uncertain. To know whether a |)erson is born 
again, it should be considered that the work of 
the Spirit of God upon the soul, whereby sinners 
are denominated new creatures, is set forth by 
figurative language. As there are new principles 
or dispositions produced, it is called a creation. 
** Created in Christ Jesus." Eph. ii. 10. As it bears 
resemblance to procreation, it is therefore called 
a regeneration and a new birth. These terms 
are used for the purpose of illustrating its nature, 
the evident and plain import of which are to 
point out, that a person who is the subject of such 
a gracious charge, feels and views himself to be 
in such circumstances, in a spiritual sense, as re- 
semble the natural condition of an infant; for 
such persons feel themselves feeble and forlorn ; 
they are convinced of their utter inability to pro- 
vide for the least of their numerous wants, or 
even to describe them : like a new-born babe 
they desire the sincere milk of the word, which 
they relish, taste the sweetness of, and are nou- 
rished by They are dependent entirely on the 
Lord's care and kindness, who loves them, deals 
tenderly with them, feeds them with what is con- 
venient for them, as they are able to bear it, 
clothes them with the robe of righteousness, and 
garments of salvation. He teaches them, gra- 
dually, the things relating to the kingdom of grace 
into which they are brought, and of which they are 
N 



146 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

naturally ignorant; for "they shall all be taught 
of God, from the least of them to the greatest of 
them." Isai. liv. 13. As they have a disposition 
for spiritual activity, so the Lord increases their 
strength, takes them by the hand, teaches them 
to go. Hos. xi. 3. As they grow in acquaintance 
with their heavenly Father, and the household of 
faith, they feel a love to God, a fear of him, have 
their dependence upon him, and arc desirous of 
his presence, protection, and guidance. They 
love all the people of God, and those the best 
who, as they think, most resemble him. Those, 
therefore, who are thus dependant upon God, 
humble before him, having a relish for Divine 
things, or, in a word, dispositions towards God of 
a filial nature, becoming a child to his father and 
family ; such have the evidences of being born 
again, they having been brought with godly sim- 
plicity to receive the kingdom of heaven as a little 
child, without which, the Redeemer has declared, 
no man can in any wise enter therein. Luke, 
xviii. 17. Thus the feeble state and forlorn con- 
dition of the Jews, when God first entered into 
covenant with them as a people, and they became 
his special property and care, is illustrated by an 
infant, Ezek. xvi. in the most deplorable condi- 
tion. So the spiritual experiences of his people, 
both sorrowful and sweet, are represented by the 
metaphor of a helpless infant, under the kind care 
of its loving, compassionate, and prudent parent. 
Again, such bear the likeness of their Father 



CONCERNING SPIRITUAL JOYS. 147 

God ; as by their first birth they partake of the 
imaire of the earthly, so by their second birth 
they are made partakers of the heavenly ; for that 
which is born of the flesh, is flesh ; and that 
which is born of the Spirit, is spirit. John, iii. 6. 
They that are born again, love what God does, 
and hate what he abhors, which gradually in- 
creaseth as they grow in grace, or to maturity, as 
perfect men in Christ Jesus. A holy disposition is 
therefore an infallible proof of a heavenly descent, 
or that such are born again. 



CHAPTER III. 

CONCERNING SPIRITUAL JOTS. 

Many Christians are discouraged on account o£ 
their not having been favoured with such strong 
consolation as others speak of; and some are 
stumbled^ because of the short duration of their 
joy ; and in both the above causes perplexities 
arise about the real difference between false and 
true pleasure attending religion. Such persons 
would do well to consider, that it is not the height 
of consolation, nor the length of its continuance, 
which proves it genuine, or of a true spiritual 
nature: some of the Galatian church, of whose 
gracious state the apostle was in doubt, spoke of 
great blessedness. Gal. iv. 15. The Israelites 
sang God's praise with great delight at the Red 
Sea, but soon forgot his works, and rebelled 



148 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

against his authority; the stony ground hearers 
received the word with joy, but not having depth 
of root, therefore, when tribulation came for the 
word's sake, their pleasure and profession died. 
Even Herod heard John with gladness, yet clave 
to his sins ; and Ezekiel was a pleasant song to 
many of his hearers who took no delight in obedi- 
ence to God. It is possible some may hold fast 
their self-deception, and go down to hell with a 
lie in their right hand, rejoicing in a thing of 
nought ; for a hope of deliverance from punish- 
ment cannot fail giving pleasure to its possessors ; 
and while the pleasing expectation is supported, 
the degree of consolation arising from a false hope 
may be ecpial, yea, superior to what is produced 
by a good one. Such not knowing their own 
hearts, and the infinite evil of sin, are therefore 
not plagued like other men. Psal. Ixxiii. 5, 14. 
We ought seriously to consider from what our 
comforts spring, and in what they terminate, in 
order to know and judge of their true nature and 
kind: false comforts frequently arise from a par- 
tial view of God's salvation. An unsanctified 
soul will rejoice in the hope of a deliverance from 
the punishment of sin, simply from the principle 
of self-love. But mere safety does not satisfy the 
truly gracious ; all such likewise want to have the 
power of sin subdued, and the pollution of sin 
removed ; their habitual prayer to God is, " Take 
away all iniquity^ and receive us graciously." 
Hosea, xiv. 1, 2. Pleasures therefore arising from 



CONCERNING SPIRITUAL JOYS. 149 

t 

a prospect of freedom from sorrow, may be where 
sin maintains a full dominion; ^' I shall have peace, 
saith one, though I walk in the imagination of mine 
heart, to add drunkenness to thirst ; thus he hlesseth 
himself in his heart, when he heareth Jehovnh^s tre- 
mendous curse.^^ How awful is Heaven's language 
to such a daring deluded sinner! '^ The Lord tvill 
not spare him, but the anger of the Lord and his 
jealous}/ shall smoke against that man, and all the 
curses ivritten in this hook shall lie upon himJ'^ 
Deut. xxix. 19, 20. 

Again ; false joy sometimes ariseth from the 
manner of relief being brought to the mind, but 
true pleasure springs from the matter applied, 
or the nature and suitableness of truth discovered. 
The suddenness 0? relief is only a circumstance in 
itself, and yet some seem to build their hope of 
salvation upon it ; but those who infer such 
impressions are all of God, and absolutely safe, 
forget that Satanical influences are compared to 
darts: on the other hand, some unmercifully cen- 
sure every extraordinary relief as diabolical. But 
as times of dreadful temptations and overwhelming 
sorrows are periods which will not admit of delay ; 
and when viewed in that light, it is no wonder the 
soul with holy vehemence should cry, " Make haste, 
make no tarrying, oh my God ;" and, is it a won- 
der that God should hear prayer, or be found a 
present, yea, a very present help in lime of 
trouble? If not, why then should such appear- 
ances be opposed or doubted ? The Lord flies on 



150 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

the wings of the wind for the help of Jeshurun, 
and may he not avenge his own elect, who cry 
unto him day and night, and that speedily, though 
he may seem to bear long with them ; for as he 
sendeth forth his commandment upon earth, h^s 
word runneth very swiftly ? Yea, he says, " Before 
they call, 1 will answer ; and whilst they are yet 
speaking, I will hear." Isaiah, Ixv. 24. Daniel 
found his promise verified in his experience ; for 
while he was speaking in prayer, Gabriel being 
caused to fly swiftly, touched him, and told him, 
that at the beginning of his supphcation, the 
commandment came forth, in obedience to which 
he appeared in his favour. Dan. ix. 21, 23. 

Those, therefore, are not to be censured or dis- 
couraged, who have found that ere they were aware 
their souls were made like the chariots of Amina- 
dab ; providing their hopeleads to holiness, and their 
peace and pleasure terminate in purity. Many 
Christians have reason to admire the speedy man- 
ner in which the Lord has relieved them, when 
their prospects were dismal, and their souls with 
horror stood trembling on the brink of eternal 
woe ; like a poor criminal at the fatal tree, expect- 
ing every moment to launch into eternity, but 
who is happily prevented by the sudden arrival 
of a reprieve or a pardon from his gracious 
sovereign. He admires and is thankful for the 
speed with which the joyful message came. Not- 
withstanding which, he does not consider the man- 
ner of the messenger's arrival ; but the tidings 



CONCERNING SPIRITUAL JOYS. 151 

brought are the principal spring of his joy, and 
the only foundation of his present security. The 
posts which carried the cruel edict from the Per- 
sian court, to destroy the Jews in every province 
were hasted by the king's commandment, as well 
as those despatched in their favour ; therefore the 
monarch's intention was not from thence discover- 
able. The speed with which a message is car- 
ried does not prove it to be of a favourable 
nature, nor does it so much as demonstrate from 
or to whom it is sent. Neither does the manner 
in which any portion of Scripture is brought to 
the mind, determine its being the language of God 
to that person in particular; the mere mode of 
impressions is not essential to spiritual comfort, 
conviction, or instruction ; yet many are encou- 
raged or cast down more from the manner in 
which impressions are made on their minds, than 
from the matter expressed, or the nature and ten- 
dency of truth contained in the Scriptures. A 
genuine hope in God, or the enjoyment of pardon, 
is ever accompanied with ?elf-diffidence ; such as 
are so favoured, rejoice in Christ iesus^and put no 
confidence in the flesh. Sacred pleasure is not 
only incomparably superior, but of a nature op- 
posite to levity and carnal security; fervent love 
to God will be excited and promoted by it. I will, 
says David, love the Lord, because he hath heard 
my supplication ; and of Mary it is said, she loved 
much because much was forgiven her. It invigo- 
rates repentance; ''they shall look upon me ivhom 



152 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

they have pierced, and mourn,^^ yea, ^^ shall he 
ashamed and confounded ivhen I am pacified towards 
them, for all that they have done, saith the Lord»^ 
It promotes humble, cheerful, and universal 
obedience ; the language of such a soul is, " What 
am I? or what was my father's house, that thou 
shouldest bring me hitherto ? How is it, Lord, thou 
shouldest thus manifest thyself I What shall I 
render unto the Lord? I will run the waysof thy 
commandments. Bless the Lord, O my soul." 

In regard to those who are distressed about the 
fluctuatiotj of their enjoyments, it may be a relief 
to their minds to consider that God ^'went up from 
Jacob in the place where he talked with him^ Gen. 
XXXV. 13. David's mountain stood strong, but 
when the Lord hid his face, he was troubled. 
Permanent joy is not to be expected in this world, 
but is reserved for the next. WHiat God imparts 
now, is designed to encourage and forward the 
Christian in his duty, and so to profit rather than 
to please. Again ; the shorter our present com- 
forts are, the oftener should we apply to the God 
of all consolation for the renewal of them ; saying 
with David, " Restore unto me the joys of thy 
salvation ;" and with the pensive [)rophet, " O the 
hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of 
trouble, vhy shouldest thou be as a stranger in 
the land , and as a wayfaring man, that turneth 
aside to tarry for a night?" Jer. xiv. 8. And the 
more w;.tchful should we be lest we grieve the 
Holy Sfirit, the Comforter, and cause him to with- 
draw hi? soul-cheering influences. 



EXPERIENCE OF INDWELLING SIN. 153 

CHAPTER IV. 

EXPERIENCE OF INDWELLING SIN. 

A deep sense of internal depravity^ or the preva- 
lency of sin in the hearty has often been very stum- 
bling to serious Christians, who, on a view of their 
vileness, have been ready to conclude their cases 
^re both singular and sad; says the discouraged 
soul, "If I be a Christian, why am I thus?" 

It may be an advantage for such to reflect, that 
a soul-humbling sense of sin, and deep abasement 
before God, has been experienced by the most em- 
inent saints recorded in scripture, as is evident from 
the language they have used on the subject of self- 
description, saying, " Behold I am vile, I abhor 
myself." "I am undone. I am a man of unclean 
lips." "I blush to look up to heaven." "I am as 
a beast before thee." "Surely I am more brutish 
than any man, and have not the understanding of 
a man." "In me, that is, in my flesh, dvvelleth 
no good thing. I am carnal, and sold under sin. 
I find a law in my members warring against that 
in (ny mind, leading me into captivity." "Iniqui- 
ties prevail against me." " Evil is present with me. 
I cannot do the things that I would. O wretched 
man that I am ! who shall deliver me ?" "We 
are all as an unclean thing." These, with many 
more instances which might be produced, dem- 
onstrate, that true b^ liever^, and they only, are 
properly acquainted with the plague of their own 



154 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

hearts. Why then should the Christian be dis- 
couraged through feeling himself to be, what those, 
who were eminent for godliness, have with shame 
and sorrow acknowledged they were ? Besides, 
have you not repeatedly entreated the Lord to 
search and try you, to discover what was in your 
hearts ? And shall you now be stumbled and dis- 
couraged because he has heard and answered 
your prayers? And as God has given you an ex- 
perience similar to what was once the case of 
those who are now the subjects of spotless purity 
and perpetual praise, is it reasonable to conclude 
from thence you are not the subjects of a gracious 
change ? You may rather infer, tliat if the Lord 
had been pleased to have slain you, he would not 
have shown you such things as these. Remember 
the whole need not a physician, but those that are 
sick ; and grace has made rich provision for heal- 
ing all the diseases and maladies of the mind. 
Perhaps every good man will at least account him- 
self of all others the most indebted to God and 
grace: for he feels that in himself which he does 
not certainly know is in any other, for every heart 
only knows its own bitterness. By such experi- 
ences, the Lord is training his people for the future 
glory. For, accounting themselves, as St. Paul 
did, the chief of sinners, 1 Tim. i. 15, their own sal- 
vation will be the matter of eternal wonder, every 
one viewing his own deliverance as the effect of a 
peculiar exertion of Divine power, and an uncom- 
mon dis{)la} of rich superabounding grace. Being 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 155 

each under infinite deficiency, respecting their per- 
sonal endeavours to extol the great Jehovah, mu- 
tual assistance will be intreated in the work of 
praise ; for the language of the redeemed of the 
Lord to fellow saints frequently is, " O magnify the 
Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together," 
Psalm xxxiv. 3. Go on, then, ye blessed of the 
Lord, pressing after the full possession of that sal- 
vation which you see the absolute need of, even a 
complete deliverance from sin, as well as from sor- 
row ; that grace which has rendered sin loathsome, 
and Christ lovely in your view, is sufficient for you. 
In a perpetual dependence on which, may you 
hold on your way with courage and caution, till 
you arrive at Zion's celestial gate ! Then shall you 
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing 
shall flee away. Isaiah, xxxv. 10. 



CHAPTER V. 

ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 

Another class of Christians present themselves 
to view, whose progress is retarded by a false 
and discouraging representation of the distin- 
guishing doctrines of grace ; which are frequently 
asserted to be inimical to experimental religion, 
and of such a nature as to supersede personal 
holiness, and render internal conformity lo God 
unnecessary. Whatever God has revealed in 
his word, we may be sure is worthy of hifnself, 
and advantageous to his people. We ought 



156 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 

diligently to inquire what Jehovah has revealed as 
matter of faith and obedience ; and whatever is 
of a divine original demands our reverent attention, 
cordial reception, and cheerful obedience. It is 
the height of arrogance in a puny mortal to 
dispute with his Maker about the propriety of 
what he does or says. "O man, who art thou 
that repliest against God ?" Rom. ix. 20. How- 
ever, for the relief of such serious minds as are 
^ perplexed and stumbled in consequence of the 
aforesaid objections, let us briefly consider those 
doctrines which are generally supposed the most 
exceptionable in relation to Christian experience. 

First, the doctrine of imputation. This is not 
liable to the aforesaid objection ; for the placing 
of the Redeemer's righteousness to the account 
of his people does not supersede the work of the 
Spirit of God in the soul, nor render unnecessary 
holiness of heart, or the exercise of spiritual 
graces. Imputation is not a transfusion. It 
makes no alteration in the internal disposition. 
If it did, our sins being imputed to Christ would 
have tainted his holy mind. But though sin was 
placed to his account, and the Lord laid on him 
the iniquities of us all: though He was made sin 
for us, that he might legally suffer in our stead ac- 
cording to law ; yet he was still the Holy One, who 
knew no sin as a principle in him. So Christ's 
righteousness is upon and towards those who 6e- 
Zieve, Rom. iii. 22; by which they are freed from 
condemnation, but are not thereby made inwardly 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 157 

pure ; the righteousness of Christ is not infused 
as a holy ])rinciple in them, but put upon them 
as a heavenly robe. Now though righteousness 
delivers from death, and entitles to life, yet an 
iniernal disposition suited to the nature of heaven- 
ly felicity is absolutely necessary ; therefore there 
is need of a life of grace here, in order to a life of 
glory hereafter ; and indeed they differ only in 
degree, not in nature and kind. Hence Jesus says, 
"I give unto my sheep eternal life." John, x. 28. 
"This is life eternal, that they may know thee, the 
only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast 
sent." John, xvii. 3. Men need a righteousness 
impartedj as well as a righteousness imputed; the 
inner man of the heart is therefore created anew 
in righteousness and true holiness, in order to the 
enjoyment of true happiness. Being guilty, there 
was a necessity of Christ's fulfilling the law for us, 
but when perfect in holiness, the righteousness of 
the law will be fulfilled in us. By the former we 
escape eternal misery. By the latter we have a 
taste for, and are rendered capable of, enjoying 
heavenly felicity ; therefore we ought to be as much 
concerned to possess a meetness for heaven as a 
right to it. But a capacity to enjoy does not 
give a title to enjoyment, in reference to the 
things of nature, nor does it give a right to the 
blessings of grace. A man, while sick, cannot 
enjoy the most pleasing inheritance. Yet no 
man in his right mind ever thought the best state 
of health, or the firmest constitution, could give 



158 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES* 

a title to an estate. So the believer's claim, or 
entitling righteousness to future glory, does not 
depend upon, nor arise out of his own personal 
qualifications, though there is a necessity of per- 
fect holiness, in order to complete happiness, 
" This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord ; 
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." 
Isaiah, xliv. 17. In answer to the solemn ques- 
tion, " Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord, and 
who shall stand in his holy place ?" it is said, " he 
that hath clean hands and a pure heart, — even 
he shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and 
righteousness from the God of his salvation." 
Psahn xxiv. 4, 5. The believer therefore longs 
for purity, but, after all his religious attainments, 
resolves to go through life, down to death, and 
home to glory *'in the strength of the Lord God, 
making mention of his righteousness, and of his 
only." Psalm Ixxi. 16.^ Again, 

* Justification and sanctification have each their own 
appropriate place in the Christian system. Both are ab- 
solutely indispensable, and of course neither is inimical 
to the udi r. Only let them be distinguished properly, 
and their harmony becomes obvious. Justification is 
secured by the imputation of Christ's righteousness. 
Sanctification is produced by the Spirit's operation on 
the heart. Justification is a declaration made respecting 
us ; sanctification is a work wrought in us. Justifica- 
tion gives a title to heaven ; but imparts no fitness for 
it: sanctification produces a fitness for heaven, but 
makes out no title to it. Justification frees us from 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 159 

Secondly ; Some are ready to object against 
the efficacious nature of Divine grace in conver- 
sion, and say "that constraining grace cannot be 
consistent with the natural freedom of the human 
will. For if I freely choose the things of God, 
how is my choice owing to divine grace ? And if 
I be impelled by the power of grace, how arn I 
free in my choice?" 

By a proper attention to our experience of men- 
tal acts, whether as creatures or Christians, it will 
be found that choosing is giving a preference, or 
is a preferring some persons or things above others. 
The preference given, or choice made, is the effect 
of their appearing to us more agreeable, or having 
an ascendency in our esteem. However precious 
or excellent any thing be in itself, yet if that ex- 
cellence or worth be not discovered, it does not be- 
come the object of choice. 

Things are therefore chosen or refused, es- 
teemed or disesteemed, according as they appear 
to the understanding, or are presented to the mind's 
view, as agreeable or disagreeable. Now, as the 

condemnation; sanetification cleanses us from pol- 
lution. Justification affects our state in point of law ; 
sanetification improves our condition in point of fact. 
Justification changes our legal slate; sanetification 
our moral state. Let these distinctions be borne in 
mind, and it will at once be seen that the doctrine of 
justification by the righteousness of Christ is not in- 
consistent with experimental religion. Ed. 



160 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 

natural man cannot know the things of the Spirit 
of God, because they are spiritually discerned, 
therefore he does not choose them. As facts 
they are knowable to such ; but their Divine 
beauty and spiritual excellency lie concealed 
from the carnal mind ; therefore natural things 
are freely chosen or preferred to spiritual, being 
more agreeable to the mind in its unrenewed 
state. But when omnipotent grace begets new 
principles in the soul, changes the heart, and 
opens the understanding to behold things as they 
really are, then the world and all temporary 
good sinks into nothing and vanity, when com- 
pared with Christ and the blessings of the gos* 
pel. Now the will which before freely chose sin- 
ful delights, as freely chooseth the one thing need- 
ful. Christ, in whom sinners saw no form nor 
comeliness wherefore they should desire him, is 
now in their esteem the chief among ten thousand, 
and altogether lovely. Now they freely choose 
such things for their portion, and such persons for 
their associates, as before they had an utter aver- 
sion to. Now they as freely choose the paths of 
virtue and religion, as before they did those of vice 
and sensuality. If there be such an alteration 
experienced, need I ask such a happy soul, "Who 
made thee to differ ?" 1 Cor. iv. 7. Surely such 
will be free to acknowledge with the apostle, " By 
the grace of God I am what I am." 1 Cor. xv. 10. 
If so, you cannot consistently object. 
Thirdly; To the doctrine of election; for it 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 161 

looks upon you with a friendly aspect, and by it 
you are informed, that grace was treasured up 
for you in Christ Jesus before the world began ; 
and if God has now given grace to you, (the cer- 
tain pledge of glory,) it surely will not be offen- 
sive to be informed he intended to do so, and 
that he had it in reserve for you before he be- 
stowed it upon you. You will not, you cannot 
complain of his having loved you too soon, or 
made gracious provision for you too early. No, 
you will admire and adore the free and distin- 
guishing grace of the Father, who chose you in 
particular, from everlasting, set you apart for him- 
self, and preserved you in Christ Jesus, and by 
his Spirit called you with an high calling, and 
is now fitting you for, and leading you to, tlie full 
enjoyment of salvation with eternal glory. 1 Tim. 
ii. 10. " Put on, therefore, (as the elect of God, holy 
and beloved,) bowels of mercies, kindness, humble- 
ness of mind, meekness, long suffering," which you 
are under the strongest obligations to discover to 
your fellow-Christians and fellow-creatures. Ever 
remember that those who " are a chosen generation, 
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar peo- 
ple, should show forth the praises of him who hath 
called them out of darkness into his marvellous 
light." 1 Pet. ii. 9. 

This doctrine is not discouraging in its own 

nature, (however it may be represented,) to any 

sincere seeking sinner. Such are not called to 

produce evidences of their election, in order to 

O 



162 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 

warrant their application to Jesus for salvation. 
No, my dear friends, your present concern is now 
to have guilt and pollution removed, that you 
may stand accepted before Jehovah's bar. To 
you there is a fountain opened, the blood of Jesus, 
which cleanseth from all sin. Your desire of 
coming to Christ, under a sense of the absolute 
need you are in of a Saviour, is a hopeful sign 
that you shall know, if you follow on to know the 
Lord. None but the chosen of God do ever 
heartily choose religion as the one thing needful ; 
and the language of the compassionate Saviour 
is, " All that the Father giveth me shall come to 
me ; and him that cometh to me I will in nowise 
cast out." John, vi. 37. Therefore such as long 
and wait for the salvation of God, through sanc- 
tification of the spirit and belief of the truth as 
it is in Jesus, whose hearts' desire, is to be found 
in Christ, and without blame before him in love, 
will never meet with a disappointment; for he 
who cannot lie hath said, " He will regard the 
prayer of the destitute, and not despise their 
prayer." Psalm cii. 17. He satisfieth the long- 
ing soul, even such as (for the present,) sit in 
darkness, and in the shadow of death, being 
bound in affliction and iron. Psalm cvii. 9, 10. 
Cordially to embrace Christ, and deliberately to 
take up his cross and follow him, are the genuine 
effects of electing love. To every such soul the 
language of the Lord is, " Yea, I have loved thee 
with an everlasting love: therefore with loving 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 163 

kindness have I drawn thee." Jer. xxxi. 3. " I 
will rest in my love, I will rejoice over thee with 
singing." Zeph. iii. 17. You who love the Lord? 
and desire to be entirely and eternally devoted 
to him, you know and are sure you were not na- 
turally so disposed ; and if so, that new covenant 
promise made to Immanuel has been fulfilled in 
your favour, " Thy people shall be willing in the 
day of thy power." Psalm ex. 3- He sent his 
word unto Jacob, and it lighted upon Israel. 
You happy souls, who are conscious of having 
chosen and elected the Lord as your God, need 
not perplex yourself about his choice of you 
as his people. But know that the Lord has set 
apart him that is godly for himself; Psalm iv. 3. 
Therefore, blessed is the man whom the Lord 
hath chosen, and caused to approach unto him: 
Psalm Ixv. 4. For the foundation of God standeth 
sure, having his seal, The Lord knoweth thera 
that are his. 2 Tim- ii. 19. This doctrine is a 
source of strong consolation to them who have 
fled for refuge to Christ, the hope set before 
them. Heb. vi. 17, 18- For in the midst of all 
the perplexing difficulties and trying occurrences 
in this fluctuating world, such may triumph in 
the hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie 
promised them in Christ Jesus before the world 
began. Tit. i. 2. For yet a little while, and he 
that hath said he shall come, will come and will not 
tarry ; then shall they meet with a hearty welcome 
into the kingdom prepared for them from the foun- 
dation of the world. 



164 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 

Fourthly ; If discouragements be removed re- 
specting the doctrine of election, it is not pro- 
bable that redemption will be viewed in a light 
unfavourable to weak Christians. Every truth 
relating to the law of God or the gospel of grace, 
if properly stated, will be disgustful to the carnal 
and unsanctified mind. But those who are Chris- 
tians indeed, though they may be ignorant of, or 
even prejudiced against, the terms by which truths 
are distinguished, yet the nature of truth is not 
with them an object of aversion ; as personal elec- 
tion is not prejudicial to such, it cannot be thought 
redemption should be so. 

For the election and redemption of men are in- 
separably connected in Scripture as distinct links 
in the grand chain of gospel truth ; the personal 
objects and end are the same in each, and Christ's 
claim to his people is founded on both ; "Thine 
they were, and thou gavest them me. I pray not 
for the world, but for them which thou hast given 
me, for they are thine, and all mine are thine, and 
thine are mine." John xvii. 6, 9, 10. As they 
were given to him so they were purchased by him; 
they were committed to his care as sheep to a 
shepherd, and he laid down his life for them. 
John, X. 15. " The flock of God he purchased with 
his own blood." Acts, xx. 28. Called "the precious 
blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and 
without spot." 1 Pet. i. 18. They were given him 
out of the world. John, xvii. 6. And he redeem- 
ed them from among men. Rev. xiv. 4. Out of 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 165 

every kindred, and tongue, and people, and na- 
tion. Rev. iv. 9. When God chose his people, he 
foreknew that man would fall, and the whole hu- 
man race would lose their purity, and become 
transgressors from the womb. Isaiah, xlviii. 8. He 
therefore chose them to complete salvation and 
absolute purity, that they might be without blame 
before him in love. Eph. i. 4. Christ in whom 
they were chosen, and to whose care they were 
committed, being constituted the Head of the 
church, he became the Saviour of the body, and 
gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and 
cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 
that he might present it to himself a glorious 
church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such 
thing; but that it should be holy and without 
blemish." Eph. v. 23, 25, 26, 27. Powerful opera- 
tions of grace in and upon the church and chosen 
of God, by which they are purified and made meet 
for heaven, are necessarily connected with the 
redemption which Jesus obtained for them by his 
precious blood. Divine justice was satisfied with 
the stipulated price, and infinite power secures the 
purchased possession ; such a redemption is suita- 
ble to Christians of every rank, and discouraging 
to none, if its nature be known properly, or what 
is included in it be duly considered. 

Those who come to Christ consider themselves 
as criminals justly condemned, and therefore in 
absolute need of a pardon. * God be merciful to 
me a sinner,' is the language of each ; and where 



166 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OP CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 

should such look for relief but to the Saviour, " in 
whom we have redemption through his blood, the 
forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his 
grace ?" Eph. i. 7. Gracious souls are conscious 
of having grievously departed from God. "All 
we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned 
every one to his own way;" Isaiah, liii. 6; and 
have trespassed against our God. But Jesus, to 
whom the flock belonged, has made satisfaction 
for the damage sustained ; for the Lord laid on 
him the iniquity of us all. His people know ihey 
have trespassed and are unable to make a recom- 
pense; for, being poor, they have nothing to give 
unto him against whom they have trespassed. 
Numb. V. 7. But in this doctrine Jesus is repre- 
sented as the kind and compassionate kinsman 
who engaged, that for the trespass of his people 
a recompense should be made unto the Lord. He 
was therefore wounded for our transgressions, he 
was bruised for our iniquities, and redeemed us 
from the curse of the law, being made a curse for 
us. Gal. iii. 13. Do they consider themselves afar 
off from God, and desire to be a people near unto 
the Lord? How cheering to such is the doctrine of 
redemption! Wherefore remember ye, saith Paul 
to the saints in his day, " that ye were without 
Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of 
Israel, having no hope, and without God in the 
world ; but now in Christ Jesus, ye who some- 
times were afar off are made nigh by the blood of 
Christ." Eph. ii. 12, 13. For Christ suffered for 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 167 

sins, the just for the unjust, (not that he might 
only open, or put us into a way in which we raight 
possibly attain to glory) but that he might bring 
us to God. 1 Peter, iii. 18. In this the saints tri- 
umph in Heaven, and of this tliey sing, saying, 
"Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the 
seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast re- 
deemed us to God by thy blood." Rev. v. 9. Cheer 
up, ye discouraged souls, for with the Lord there 
is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption, 
and he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities. 
Psalm cxxx. 7, 8. 

Consider the Redeemer's priesthood and power 
are unchangeable. Wherefore he is able also to 
save them to the uttermost that come unto God by 
him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for 
them. Heb. vii. 24, 25. You who are now the 
servants of God, were once slaves to Satan and 
sin, serving divers lusts and pleasures ; wherefore 
the great deliverance and happy change are en- 
tirely owing to the efficacy of redemption. 

How thankful ought we to be, who are made 
free from such an awful state of bondage ; "foras- 
much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with 
corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your 
vain conversation received by tradition from your 
fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ." 1 
Pet. i. 18. 

That peculiar and particular redemption of 
which Christ is the author, cannot justly be deem- 
ed discouraging to any who are sensible of their 



168 ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 

misery, and long for deliverance ; because those 
who are declared in Scripture to be personally in- 
terested in this special blessing, are described by 
qualities of mind and exercises of soul, many of 
which the weakest Christian knows and feels him- 
self to be the subject of; such as a conscious sense 
of spiritual depravity, debt, and danger, joined 
with an approbation of Jesus, and desires after 
those blessings which result from his merits and 
mediation. 

May saints rejoice in, and sinners seek after this 
great redemption, which consisteth in a deliver- 
ance from the curse of the law, (Gal. iii. 13.) from 
all iniquity, (Tit. ii. 14.) from the tyranny of Sa- 
tan, (1 John, iii. 8. Isaiah, xlix. 25.) the spirit of 
bondage, (Heb. ii. 15.) the sting of death, the ruins 
of mortality, (Hosea, xiii. 14.) and from wrath to 
come, (1 Thes. i. 10) From these few considera- 
tions, the certain salvation of all the redeemed of 
the Lord may be safely inferred, for the redemp- 
tion is not only copious, but durable ; all its bless- 
ings are stamped with eternity, for Jesus has ob- 
tained eternal redemption for us. Heb. ix. 12. 
Therefore of the way of holiness it is asserted by 
the lip of truth, that "the redeemed of the Lord 
shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord 
shall return and come to Zion with songs and 
everlasting joy upon their heads ; they shall obtain 
joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall 
flee away." Isaiah, xxxv, 9, 10. Once morCi 



ERRONEOUS VIEWS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. J69 

Fifthly. The doctrine of final perseverance can 
scarce be thought discouraging to the saints, and 
none but such ought to be encouraged to hope 
they shall be saved. Those who are entered upon 
a journey, and are very desirous of a safe arrival, 
will not count it a disadvantage to have a faithful 
and infallible guide, who will watch over them 
night and day, and never leave them, but conduct 
them through every difficulty they may meet with. 
Is it reasonable to suppose they will be discour- 
aged to hear that every thing is previously prepar- 
ed by a kind friend that went on purpose, as their 
forerunner, for their accommodation while on the 
road, and their joyful entrance and welcome re- 
ception to those mansions where they wish to 
dwell for ever ? 

Would it sink the courage of a soldier, or cause 
him to enter the field of battle with reluctance, be- 
cause he is given to understand, that no one who 
draws the sword in favor of his sovereign shall be 
slain, but shall assuredly gain a glorious victory, 
and return with songs of triumph to the grand 
metropolis, the seat of royalty, and there in the 
midst of millions of joyful spectators receive every 
mark of honor and approbation which can be de- 
sired from the king ? 

Would the loving spouse, who is at a vast and 
dangerous distance from her royal husband, be 
distressed, because he has concerted measures for 
her honorable arrival at his palace, and sent both 
his chariot and his guards to conduct her home 
P 



170 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

with a message, assuring her he cannot be satis- 
fied without her presence, and to see her a part- 
ner with him on his throne ? 

If the above cannot be supposed, how then can 
Christians be cast down by that which ensures 
their final salvation and the fulfilment of all their 
vast desires? The doctrine, if properly understood, 
cannot be deemed in its own nature disadvantage- 
ous to any man, though it be frequently abused, 
as every other part of revelation is, and likewise 
its Divine Author. It does not encourage sloth, 
or suppose the exercise of grace unnecessary, and 
caution needless. No, it is " through faith and 
patience they inherit the promises." The inten- 
tion and design of the great and precious promises 
are to encourage a close adherence to Christ, and 
a continuation in well doing, as connected with 
eternal life. And it is a stimulating motive not to 
be idle, when they know their labor shall not be in 
vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. xv. 58. To know that 
the doctrine is a truth, I need only say, Search the 
Scriptures, which testify of Christ's near relation 
to them ; the strength of his love towards them ; 
the infinite price he gave for them ; the change he 
has wrought in them, and the declaration he has 
made concerning them, that where he is they shall 
be, and because he lives they shall live also. 



MTSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE. 171 

CHAPTER VI. 

MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE. 

Many Christians have been, and are stumbled 
and much discouraged because of God's provi- 
dences appearing in various instances contrary to 
his promises. To consider them as real opposites, 
th€ good man knows would be daring infidelity. 
But not being able to reconcile them as relating to 
himself, he therefore is ready to conclude, that as 
providences are gloomy and appear against him, 
he has no right to interpret the promises of God 
in his favor. It may be a relief to such to observe^ 

First ; Jehovah's proceedings are extremely mys- 
terious. " His ways are in the sea, and his footsteps 
are not known,'''* As the Governor of the world, 
*' Clouds and darkness are round about /iim," the 
most penetrating creature cannot pry into his deep 
and vast designs. To impeach his conduct is the 
greatest insolence, to prescribe to himrulesof pro- 
priety, is horrid presumption. We ought to "be 
still, and know that he is God," and does all things 
well ; therefore as relating to his will and opera- 
tions, we may truly say, Whatever is, is best. The 
history of Joseph is a striking proof of the myste- 
ry of Providence ; the Lord's kindness to him at 
last appeared, notwithstanding all the awful con- 
sequences attending his brethren's cruelty ; through 
ignominy he was brought to honor ; through 
slavery, to liberty and authority ; yea, by means of 
an irksome prison he was advanced to the splen- 



172 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

dor of a palace. Therefore let discouraged Chris- 
tians wait with patience, till they see in what 
their trials may terminate ; wherein a decision is 
difficult and dangerous, a suspension of judgment 
is prudent and safe ; therefore judge nothing be- 
fore the time. 

Secondly ; Consider, good and great men have 
frequently been mistaken when they have ventur- 
ed to pass judgment on the proceedings of God. 
David thought he should one day die by the hand 
of Saul. Providence wore, for a time, such a 
gloomy aspect, that he concluded the prophecies 
and promises respecting him would never be ac- 
complished, and that the messengers of God were 
liars. Jacob, in a trying period, said of Divine 
dispensations, ' All these things are against me.' 
And yet those very providences brought him into 
such a state of honor, comfort, and tranquillity, as 
he never before enjoyed. This is further evident 
from good Asaph's query, "Will the Lord cast off 
for ever ; will he be favorable no more ? Is his 
mercy clean gone for ever ? Doth his promise fail 
for evermore ? Hath God forgotten to be gracious ? 
Hath he in his anger shut up his tender mercies ?" 
Psalm Ixxvii. 7, 8. And so awful and intricate 
were the Divine proceedings toward holy Job, 
that he appeared to his friends as a singular object 
of God's displeasure. Yea, he himself verily 
thought the Lord counted him as an enemy, and 
treated him as such. 

You who think there is no sorrow like unto your 



MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE. 173 

sorrow, attend to the lamentation of that holy man 
of God, which he uttered in the anguish of his 
spirit, and the complaint which he made in the 
bitterness of his soul, recorded in chap. vii. from 
verse 3. chap. xiii. 24, 27. chap. xvi. and chap. xix. 
6, 21 ; and yet before the commencement of his 
trials, and after their accomplishment, Jehovah 
declares him to have been not only truly religious, 
but the most eminent of all his servants then on 
the earth ; and Jeremiah, who with remarkable 
courage pleaded on Heaven's behalf against a re- 
volted, God-provoking nation, though he had sweet 
intercourse with the Most High, yet, through a 
complication of difficulties and trying dispensa* 
tions, he said, "Surely against me is he turned." 
Lam. iii. 3. Such discouragements have not only 
attended some few individuals who have been 
called to bear the burden and heat of the day, but 
have accompanied the people of God in general^ 
while in this vale of tears; for "Zion said, the 
Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgot* 
ten me." Isaiah, xlix. 14. The above, and many 
more instances of the like kind, are left on sacred 
record, not for our imitation, but admonition : these 
mournful proofs of human weakness may serve to 
convince us of our incapacity to discover, in dark 
dispensations, the harmony and connexion between 
the kindness of God's heart, and the operations of 
his hand ; likewise of the necessity of walking by 
faith, and not by sight. Those, therefore, " who 
are in darkness, and have no light," are gracious- 



174 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

\y invited and kindly encouraged to "trust in the 
name of the Lord, and stay themselves upon their 
God" Isaiah, li. 10. "You have heard of the pa- 
tience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, 
that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy." 
May the discouraged Christian then come to the 
same resolution, which that eminent man of God 
did, saying, " Though he slay me, yet I will trust in 
himJ^ Job, xiii. 15. Consider, 

Thirdly ; That by such trying providences the 
Lord discovers to his people w^hat is in their hearts 
(see Deut. viii. 2.) by vv^hich their humility and re- 
pentance are promoted, and their dependence on 
God increased ; they are thereby put upon self- 
examination, in order to know why the Lord con- 
tendeth with them : each one, therefore, with 
solemn seriousness, is brought to interrogate con- 
science, saying. What have I done ? And seeing 
the absolute necessity of direction, support, and 
pardon, they become more frequent and fervent in 
prayer. Like Jacob, they retire from the world to 
wrestle with God ; and being encouraged by his 
precious promises, are therefore resolved not to let 
him go without a blessing ; therefore they cry unto 
him day and night, (Luke, xviii.) praying without 
ceasing. And many kind interpositions of Provi- 
dence are recorded in Scripture, and are still ex- 
perienced by his people, who have by adverse dis- 
pensations been stirred up to seek the Lord with 
their whole hearts. When Jacob wept and made 
supplication to his God, the terrible prospect of his 



MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE. 175 

brother's approaching him at the head of a furious 
army, breathing vengeance, was changed into a 
melting scene of tender friendship and affection. 
Esau's dreadful designs were at once dismissed ; 
and instead of killing, he salutes his brother with 
kisses of kindness, and generously offers his ser- 
vice for his future protection. 

Thus providences are in fact designed to fulfil 
the promises of God in a way which prepares the 
minds of his people for the reception of the favor 
he intends to confer; so that God's wisdom, as 
well as his goodness, power, and veracity, becomes 
the object of admiration ; for thereby the Lord 
makes crooked things straight, and rough places 
plain, humbles and yet helps, discovers the corrup- 
tion of the human heart ; and thus from a sense of 
meanness and misery, difficulty and danger, deliv- 
erances appear more conspicuously the effects of 
wonderful grace. 

Thus God trieth the righteous by a suspension 
of promised mercies, wnich delays are often in- 
terpreted as denials, through the prevalency of 
unbelief. But let tried Christians consider the 
conduct of Providence towards the heirs of pro- 
mise, as recorded in Scripture, in order to the 
support of hope, and a patient waiting for Christ. 
Abraham was kept waiting five-and-twenty years, 
and then with joy embraced the promised son. 
Again, consider, promised mercies frequently are 
mistaken in their first appearance, through their 
being viewed by the eye of sense and reason, 



176 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

as clothed with the garb of misery. The choicest 
mercies have commonly come in disguise ; there- 
fore who can by present appearances know what 
is good for a man in this life, all the days of his 
vain life which he spendeth as a shadow ? Eccles. 
vi. 12. However, it is evident, from an impartial 
survey of Jehovah's conduct, that the methods 
he takes to accomplish his own gracious designs, 
and his people's holy desires, are all worthy of 
himself, though frequently the very reverse of the 
plans of finite wisdom ; as remarkably evidenced 
in his dealings with Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Mo- 
ses, David, Daniel, and many others whose religious 
characters shine as stars of the first magnitude in 
the horizon of grace. 

Fourthly: Another spring of perplexity arising 
in the minds of many, respecting the providences 
of God, is, mistaken views of the nature of Divine 
promises. Spiritual blessings promised in the 
Scriptures are frequently construed as including 
certain degrees of temporal felicity. Such an in- 
terpretation prevailed among the disciples of Christ; 
and being disappointed in their hopes of such en- 
joyments, therefore sorrow filled their hearts, the 
expectation of earthly dignity and worldly splen- 
dor beclouded their minds, and darkened their un- 
derstanding respecting the spiritual glories of 
Christ, the nature of his kingdom, and designs of 
liis death. Though there was an inconsistency 
and real contrariety in nature between the proceed- 
ings of God and his promises as interpreted by them, 



MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE. 177 

yet afterwards, when favored with a clearer un- 
derstanding of the Scriptures, they saw a happy 
harmony, and an inseparable connexion between 
them, and rejoiced in the accompHshment of the 
promises of God, which were all found yea and 
amen in Christ Jesus. To prevent the like mistake 
among believers in future, the apostle to the He- 
brews points out the various trying providences 
attending the worthies of old ; who wandered about 
in sheep skins and goat skins, being destitute, af- 
flicted, tormented, but through faith and patience 
are now inheriting the promises. Therefore, hav- 
ing nothing of this world is not inconsistent with 
inheriting all things which relate to the world to 
come. The Lord has promised to provide for his 
people's real wants in this life. He hath said, 
" Thy bread shall be given, and thy water shall be 
sure ;" " your heavenly Father knoweth you have 
need of these things." " He careth for you," — but 
he hath not described the quality or quantity of 
earthly good, with which you shall be fed. Po- 
verty, yea extreme poverty, has been the lot of 
many who were evidently the heirs of glory. The 
churches of Christ in Macedonia were in deep 
poverty. Yet many of the children of God were 
poorer than they, to whose relief the said churches 
contributed, even beyond their power, of which 
the apostle Paul, who was a witness, bears record, 
2 Cor. viii. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. "And unto the church in 
Smyrna write these things, saith the first and the 
last, which was dead and is alive, I know thy works 



178 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

and tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich ;" 
Rev. ii. 8, 9. 

"Hearken, my beloved brethren, (saith a com- 
passionate follower of Jesus,) hath not God chosen 
the poor of this v^orld, rich in faith, and heirs 
of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them 
that love him ?" James, ii. 5. The same inspired 
writer even supposes a brother or sister to be 
naked, and destitute of daily food, ver. 15. Such 
have therefore been spoken of by the appellation 
of poor saints, Rom. xv. 26. A distressed saint 
may lie at the door of a rich sinner without re- 
ceiving a crumb of relief, and appear as if for- 
saken by God and man. But oh, how great the 
change ! How vast the difference in eternity ! He 
who seemed as if neglected by Heaven and earth, 
ascends at death to glory and to Abraham's bosom ; 
while the sumptuous living sinner sinks down to 
hell, and being in torment, asks in vain for a drop 
of water to cool his scorched tongue. But of La- 
zarus, it is said with an air of sacred pleasure, 
NOW ^e is comforted. Again, 

Fifthly ; Some have great discouragements and 
perplexity, arising from the failure of what they 
have considered as special and direct proznises 
made to them in particular, as relating to the 
path of duty, or the enjoyment of some future 
good. The persuasion of promises being made 
to them in particular arose perhaps from some 
portion of Scripture being impressed on their 
mind, the terms and language of which were ex- 



MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE. 179 

actly suitable to what they had been seeking the 
Lord about, and therefore deemed expressive of 
his mind in that particular ; the failure, therefore, 
of these, discourages their hope respecting the 
fulfilment of those which relate to their eternal 
salvation. For the relief of such 1 would observe, 
that though it is not denied but in some special 
cases the Lord may have favored some of his 
people with intimations of his mind in the manner 
aforesaid, nevertheless there is commonly dan- 
ger and disappointment attending such a con- 
struction of Scripture in ordinary affairs ; for we 
need no new revelation to point out the path of 
duty, the Scriptures being sufficient for such a 
purpose, and a more sure word of prophecy than 
any thing referred to above. A criminal curios 
ity to pry into, or sinful anxiety to know future 
events, the Lord in mercy may reprove in his 
people, by disappointments. The design of the 
promises of God is to encourage faith and hope 
in the Lord, that he will provide what he sees 
necessary for, and give what is good to those who 
fear him ; but not to make a previous discovery 
in what manner he will support and supply. Even 
Moses, the man of God, seems to have been mis- 
taken in regard to the time when, and the means 
by which the Lord intended to accomplish the 
deliverance of his people from the bondage of 
EgyP^ > ^or when he defended the injured Is- 
raelite, and avenged him that was oppressed, he 
supposed his brethren would have understood 



380 EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

how that God by his hand would have delivered 
them, but they understood not; Acts, vii. 25. 
And instead of his being then embraced as a de- 
liverer, he was informed against, and banished as 
a delinquent. He continued in a state of exile 
for forty years ; and afterwards, when the Lord 
sent him from Midian to Pharaoh, to demand in 
his name Israel's release, instead of deliverance, 
their bondage was increased, and his conduct they 
severely censured ; on which account he returned 
unto the Lord, and said, " Lord, wherefore hast 
thou so evil intreatetl this people? Why is it 
that thou hast sent me ? For since I came to Pha- 
raoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to 
this people ; neither hast thou delivered thy peo- 
ple at all ;" Exod. v. 21—23. And when provi- 
dences turned up contrary to what Jeremiah ex- 
pected, he in the bitterness of his soul uttered these 
awful words: "O Lord^ thou hast deceived ine, and 
I was deceived,'*'* Jer. xx: 7. From the above 
instances it is evident that persons may be in 
some cases disappointed in their most sanguine 
expectations in regard to the dispensations of 
God in this life, and yet the foundation of their 
hope remain unshaken in reference to eternal sal- 
vation. May Christians be cautious, and not use 
the word of the Lord in such a manner, and for 
such purposes, as were never intended 1 To in- 
terpret the designs of God, from detached sen- 
tences, either impressed on the mind, or as first 
presented to the eye on opening the sacred vol- 



MYSTERIES OF PROVIDENCE. 181 

ume, is very injudicious, and has an entangling 
tendency ; therefore, as the apostle says, "We do 
not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye 
might he Jilled unth the knowledge of his will, in 
all wisdom and spiritual understanding.^^ Col. i. 
9. In order to which may you be enabled to com- 
pare spiritual things with spiritual ; 1 Cor. ii. 13. 
Col. iii. 16. " Let the word of Christ dwell in you in 
all loisdom-^^ 

May we all consider that the mistakes of em- 
inent saints are recorded, not for our imitation, but 
our admonition, and to prevent overwhelming de- 
spondency on viewing our own mistakes, and to 
show the necessity of a strict careful examination 
of ourselves, fervent application to God, an hum- 
ble dependence on him, connected with cheerful 
obedience to him, and a patient waiting for him. 
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime, 
were written for our learning ; that we, through 
patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have 
hope." Rom. xv. 4. 



182 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

PART III. 

PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

[There are several stumbling-blocks in the way of Zion's 
travellers, which are more properly classed under the 
head of <* practical difficulties" than under either of 
the preceding; viz. such as arise out of the sinful con- 
duct of professors of religion, the enmity of the world, 
and the heresies of false religionists. These impedi- 
ments in the way to heaven will now be briefly con- 
sidered.] 

CHAPTER I. 

SINS OF PROFESSORS. 

The disposition and conduct of some professors 
of religion is very stumbling to serious inquirers 
after the way in which they should walk. 

First ; A proud censorious spirit, condemning 
the weak as worthless, and treating inferiors with 
an air of contempt, is very trying and discourag- 
ing. But who hath despised the day of small 
things ? God does not, therefore men ought not ; 
and it is certain a humble Christian cannot. Let 
the weak and discouraged Christian contemplate 
the compassionate Saviour, who will not break 
the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. 
The lambs he will lay in his bosom, and gently 



SINS OF PROFESSORS. 183 

lead those that are with young, and to them who 
have no might he will increase strength ; the 
strongest believer was once a babe in Christ; the 
tallest cedar once was not superior to the lowest 
shrub ; and the stoutest oak was once in as tender 
a state as a feeble straw. How unreasonable then 
to despise the weak, seeing those who have arrived 
to the highest eminence in religion, in whatever 
sense they may be said to be great, yet their be- 
ginnings were but small. Those, therefore, who 
are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the 
weak, and not to please themselves. Support the 
weak, is the Lord's express command. Hence, 
says the apostle, "let us not therefore judge one 
another any more, but judge this rather, that no 
man put a stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall, 
in his brother's way." Rom. xv. 13. 

Secondly ; Loose professors are extremely per- 
nicious ; of such the apostle spake with weeping, 
and pronounced them enemies to the cross of 
Christ. By them saints are discouraged and sin- 
ners hardened; through them the good ways of 
God are evil spoken of, and rehgion reproached, 
the righteous traduced, and the name of the Lord 
blasphemed. When professors fall into sin, the 
cry of the profane is. This is their religion. But 
the established Christian with sighing says ; No, 
such miscarriages are owing to its absence. But 
weak believers are not only grieved, but silenced 
and confounded : and when those who are eminent 
for God are overcome by the deceitfulness of sin 



184 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

or the violence of temptation, Christians in gen- 
eral are alarmed, as when a standard-bearer faint- 
eth ; and some are thereby for a time so discour- 
aged, that they dare not profess^ religion, fearing 
they should likewise act an unbecoming part, and 
deeper wound its reputation. Thus they linger, 
though they love, not daring to proceed for fear 
of falling. Others, to avoid being sharers in re- 
proach, sigh and go backwards into a state of pre- 
tended neutrality. Again, some notorious trans- 
gressors, termed sinners in Zion, when reproved 
for their sins, and admonished according to Christ's 
direction given in the Scriptures, and especially 
such as are excluded from church communion on 

* This reason for not professing religion is often as- 
signed; but it is entirely without force. A Christian 
must live without professing religion till his dying hour, 
if he would be quite certain that he shall not afterwards 
dishonor his profession. And, moreover, it is sinning to 
avoid sin ; ** doing evil that good may come ;" — for cer- 
tainly it is sin to disobey the commands of Christ by not 
confessing him before men. And, once more, such a 
course is presumptuous ; for God has promised " to meet 
them that rejoice and work righteousness ; them that re- 
member him in his ways.'' To be secure, then, against de- 
clension, backsliding, and apostacy, we must be found in 
his ways, and not expect Him to go out of his way to 
meet us. Use then, the means of grace, and expect the 
communication of grace with the means : walk, in faith, 
humbly with God ; and not, in unbelief, dictatorially ; 
demanding an assurance without obedience, which He 
gives only to the meekly obedient. — Ed. 



SIiVS OF PROFESSORS. 185 

account of their abominations, will, from a spirit 
of revenge, join affinity with the world, and Satan 
like, turn accusers of the brethren with whom 
they were connected, and of whom they will 
speak all manner of evil. Such impenitent apos- 
tates, stooping to the low office of cooks in the 
devil's kitchen, will frequently dress up the imper- 
fections of professors of religion, so as to grat- 
ify the taste of the ungodly, to whom the sins of 
the saints affiard high entertainment, and on which 
the profane frequently feast with sweet satisfac- 
tion, as saith the Lord ; " They tat up the sin of 
my people, and they set their heart on their iniqinty," 
Hos. iv. 8, 9. In consequence of which those who 
sigh for the abounding abominations of the land, 
and are active for God in Zion, become the deri- 
sion of fools, and the song of the drunkards; on 
which account they frequently adopt David's la- 
mentation, who on the like occasion said ; "Woe 
is me, that I sojourn in Mesecb, that I dwell in the 
tents of Kedar." Psalm cxx. 5. 

Such things, it is confessed, are very trying ; but 
shall religion be deserted because it is dishonored ? 
No, God forbid ; the Lord's cause is good and hon- 
orable. Christ and religion are no worse for being 
betrayed, denied, or misused. Shall the rebeUion 
of some be urged in favor of disloyalty to our 
heavenly Sovereign ? Ought we to be inactive be- 
cause others are indolent ? Or resolve not to be 
true, because they are treacherous ? When Christ 
was deserted by various pretended friends, he ad- 

a 



186 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

dressed his few remaining followers thus: ^^ Will 
ye also go away") To which Peter replied in the 
name of the rest; ^^Lord,to whom should we go f 
thou hast the words of eternal life" May every lover 
of Jesus be in like manner resolved to adhere ta 
him! How rational the resolution! How becoming 
the determination in every point of view ! For 
Jesus is possessed of every thing relating to eter- 
nal life : he, and he only, can satisfy and save the 
immortal soul. Is sin dreaded as aforesaid? Let 
such consider which is the most likely method ta 
be kept from its prevalency. Surely those whose 
daily cry is, Hold me up\ and then I shall he safe, 
cannot with calmness conclude, that those are most 
likely to be heard of God and kept from sin who 
disregard his authority, and live in the neglect 
of duty. A prevailing sense of weakness is no 
indication of danger ; no, pride goeth before de- 
struction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. The 
Christian ought to consider, the fewer they are 
that engage heartily in the cause of real religion, 
and the greater the opposition made to it, the more 
is his assistance needed. May such resolve " to go 
in the strength of the Lord God, making mention 
of his righteousness, and of his only," Though 
you proceed with trembling steps, the Lord can 
make you say and sing with lioly triumph, " The 
hows of the mighty men are hroken, and they that 
stumbled are girt with strength" " The God of 
Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto 
his people; hlessed he God" 1 Sam. ii. 4. Psalm 



ENMITY OF THE WORLD. 187 

Ixviii. 35. Those who continue cool spectators, 
caring for none of these things, would do well to 
consider that the Lord allows of no neutrahty in the 
important and perpetual contest hetween the king- 
dom of Heaven and that of hell, but says, " He that 
is not for us, is against us.^^ He abhors a state of 
indifference in matters of rehgion. "I would,' 
says he, "thou wert cold or hot ; so then because 
thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will 
spew thee out of my mouth." Rev. iii. 15, 16. 
How alarming the language in Deborah's song 
respecting those of the aforesaid disposition and 
conduct I "Curse ye M-eroz (said the angel of the 
Lord,) curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof, 
because they came not to the help of the Lord, to 
the help of the Lord against the mighty." Judges, 
V. 23. May the supine Christian hear and fear! 



CHAPTER XL 

ENMITY OF THE WORLD. 

Some are stumbled on account of the cross, 
or the reproach and persecution attending religion, 
A prospect of suffering in their persons, property, 
or character, is grievous to nature and trying to 
grace. In regard to reproaches from men, we 
may observe, those who do not deserve them, 
need not dread them. ^^ If ye he reproached for the 
name of Christ, happy are ye, for the spirit of glory 
and of God resteth upon you ; on their part he is 
evil spoken of hut on your part he is glorified.^^ 1 



188 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

Pet. iv. 14. " Cruel mockings^ reproaches^ andptrse- 
cutions^^ (Heb. xi. 36, 38) have been the lot of the 
righteous in every age, who are generally called 
to endure a great fight of afflictions as soon as 
they are illuminated, partly whilst they are made 
a gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictions,, 
and partly whilst they become companions of 
them who are so used. Heb. x. 33. " If any man 
will live godly in Christ Jesus, he must suffer perse- 
cution ; for as of old, he that was horn after the 
flesh persecuted him that was horn after the 
Spirit^ even so it is now,^^ Gal. iv. 29. But 
although such treatment is very trying, yet con- 
sider how much more dreadful are the frowns of 
God and the stings of conscience. Jehovah's 
smiles will compensate for, and infinitely outweigh 
the revilings of men, or the rage of the devil ; yet 
a little while, and the wicked shall cease from 
troubling, and the weary shall be at rest. " Heark- 
en unto me (saith the Lord,) ye that know righte- 
ousness, the people in whose heart is my law* 
Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye 
afraid of their revilings, for the moth shall eat 
them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat 
them like wool ; but my righteousness shall be 
for ever, and my salvation from generation to 
generation." Isaiah, Iviii. 7, 8. Attend, O dis- 
couraged Christian, to the Saviour's cheering 
language. He says, " Blessed are ye when men 
shall hate you, and when they shall separate you 
from their company, and shall reproach you, and 



ENMITY OF THE WORLD. 189 

cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's 
sake. Rejoice and leap for joy ; for behold your 
reward is great in heaven." Luke, vi. 22. Ac- 
cordingly we find the apostles "rejoiced that they 
were counted worthy to suffer shame for his 
name's sake;" "therefore (says Paul) I take 
pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessi- 
ties, in distresses, for Christ's sake ; for when I am 
weak, then am I strong." 2 Cor. xii. 10. Where- 
fore let no man's heart fail him because of these 
things, nor be discouraged because of the way : 
the Lord is able to make you rejoice in tri- 
bulation, through which you must enter the 
kingdom, and at last will crown your conflicts 
with victory, and turn your pensive sighs into 
perpetual songs. Keep in view the blessed Jesus 
as your pattern, who, when he was reviled, reviled 
not again ; return not railing for railings, but 
pity and pray for them who despitefully use you 
and persecute you, saying, Father, forgive them, 
for they know not what they do. Take care you 
are neither ashamed of religion, nor a shame to 
it ; therefore in all things be ye circumspect, 
consider him that endured such contradiction of 
sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and 
faint in your minds. As he through the hope set 
before him endured the cross, and despised the 
shame, (Heb. xii.) therefore arm yourself likewise 
with the same mind ; (1 Pet. iv. J.) and having put 
on the whole armor of God, stand fast in the 
faith, quit yourselves like men, be strong in the 



190 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

name of the Lord, lift up your banners, and fight 
the good fight of faith. The heroic Paul, when 
he reconnoitered the host of inveterate foes, 
and viewed surrounding difficulties and approach- 
ing dangers, said, " J\[*om of these things move me, 
neither count I my life dear unto myself so that I 
might finish my course with joy ;^^ and when 
methods of prudence were proposed by his weep- 
ing friends, to avoid impending danger, he, consid 
ering the advice inconsistent with Christian duty 
and dignity, replied with warmth and holy vehe- 
mence, "What mean ye to weep, and break mine 
heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but 
also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord 
Jesus." Acts, XX. 24 ; xxi. 13 ; 2 Cor. iv. 17. His 
heavy trials, which continued through life, he con- 
sidered as light and short, when compared with 
the durable delights in a future world, even a far 
more exceeding and eternal weight of, glory. 
Then those who have faithfully followed the Lord 
through difficulties, dangers, and death, will meet 
with peculiar approbation and distinguished 
honors ; then the Captain of our salvation shall 
recount his worthies; Nahum, ii. 5; Rev. vii. 14; 
who will appear with the ensigns of victory and 
the trophies of triumph in the new Jerusalem, 
of whom the applauding inhabitants will with joy 
sing. These are they which came out of great tribula- 
tion. Then the trial of your faith will be found 
more precious than gold which perisbeth. The 
believing Hebrews therefore took joyfully the 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 191 

spoiling of their goods, knowing that in heaven 
they had a more enduring substance ; and Moses 
chose to suffer affliction with the people of God, 
esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches 
than the treasures of Egypt : for he had respect 
unto the recompense of reward. James, v. 11. 
*^ Behold, we count them happy who endure ;" 
"for in due time ye shall reap, if ye faint not;" 
" therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, 
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the 
Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is 
not in vain in the Lord." 1 Cor. xv. 58. 



CHAPTER in. 

ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 

[The errors of false religionists are of two kinds, 
speculative and practical ; and when the former 
are cherished they infallibly produce the latter. 

First ; Speculative errors present difficulties.] 
Some are prevented attending to practical reli- 
gion, by being told believers are not in any sense 
under the law. By the law we are frequently to 
understand the covenant of works, or that com- 
pact and agreement which a God of kindness and 
condescension made with Adam, as the public 
head and representative of his offspring. Adam 
was under a natural and necessary obligation to 
obey his Maker's will, and was absolutely depend- 
ent on God's sovereign pleasure for the continu- 



192 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

ance of his happy existence. A right to everlast- 
ing life he could never have procured by his most 
ardent affection and strict obedience to God and 
his law ; the Lord therefore kindly connected the 
promise of life with man's natural duty, and threat- 
ened death in case of failure. Thus Adam's mo- 
tives to obedience were increased, being made a 
trustee for his numerous descendants. In that 
covenant a small and easy test of his subjection 
to God was fixed upon. Nothing more than a 
prohibition of one tree, while the vast and various 
productions in the garden of God were liberally 
granted for his pleasure and profit. In the midst 
of which likewise flourished that which was art 
emblem and pledge of the promised blessing, call- 
ed The Tree of Life, which would serve to confirm 
his faith in his covenant God, and invigorate his 
hope, that his obedience might be secured, in 
order to the enjoyment of the gracious reward, 
and that he might escape the threatened punish- 
ment. But, alas! notwithstanding the said agree- 
ment was so advantageous in its nature, it was 
broken by our first parent, whereby all right to 
life, on the footing of law, was for ever forfeited, 
according to that covenant ; and death, the 
threatened penalty, was incurred, not only respect- 
ing his own person, but his posterity also. "Where- 
fore, as by one man sin entered into the world, 
and death by sin, so death passed upon all, fbr 
that all have sinned." Rom. v. 12. Through the 
offence of one many be dead, v. 15 ; for by one 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 193 

man^s ofTence death reigned. By the offence of 
one, judgment came u\yon all men; for by one 
man's disobedience, many were made sinners ; 
V. 16 to 19, The apostle proves there was a cov- 
enant or law before that given by Moses, according 
to which the whole human race were under the 
sentence of condemnation ; for until the law 
{given on Mount Sinai) sin was in the world; 
but sin is not imputed where there is no law. 
Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, 
even over them that had not sinned after the simil- 
itude of Adam's transgression ; Rom. v. 13, 14. 
The law of Moses was not given that sinners might 
obtain life by it; for by the law is the knowledge 
of sin ; Rom. iii. 20. It was added because of 
transgressions, (GaL iii. 19.) that the offence 
might abound, (Rom. v. 20.) that every mouth 
may be stopped, and the whole world may become 
guilty before God ; therefore by the deeds of the 
iaw, there shall no flesh be justified in his sightc 
Rom. iii. 19, 20. That no man is justified by the 
law in the sight of God is evident; for the just 
shall live by his faith, and the law is not of faith, 
but the man that doth them shall live in them. 
Gal. iii. 11, 12. But whosoever shall keep the 
whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is 
guilty of all. James, ii. 10 ; for, considering the 
law as a covenant, one sin destroys a title to legal 
life, and exposes the guilty to its awful penalty: 
for as many as are of the works of the law, are 
«nder the curse ; for it is written, Cursed is evew 
R 



194 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

one that continueth not in all things which an 
written in the hook of the law to do them. Gal 
iii. 10 ; Deut. xxvii. 26, Believers, therefore, are 
not under the law as a covenant ; their expecta- 
tion of, and right to, eternal life, does not arise from 
their personal obedience, nor is their hope of 
freedom from punishment founded on any com- 
pensation which they have made or can make for 
their crimes; through Christ they are dead to the 
law as promising life, or punishing with death ; 
they are neither under its promise nor its penalty; 
their covenant connexion with the law is dissolved, 
aiid a marriage to Christ commenced, that they 
might bring forth fruit unto God. See Rom. vii. 
verse 1 to 7. That real believers are not under the 
law, hut under grace, is an undeniable truth. But 
it is equally evident, they are not without law to God^ 
hut under the law to Christ, That there is no 
contradiction in these scriptural propositions will 
appear, if we consider the following things : 

First ; That by the term law^ we are to under- 
stand the rule of moral, and likewise positive 
obedience. Moral obedience ariseth from our 
natural connexion with God (as the Author of our 
existence,) and with our fellow-creatures, and con- 
sisteth in supreme love to God, and an equal love 
to our neighbor as to ourselves ; so that the whole 
law is comprehended in love. Moral commands 
arise from, and are founded on, the natural propri- 
ety and fitness of things, and therefore are bi«ding 
on all rational creatures in this world and that 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 195 

which is to come. Whilst the relation continues 
between the Creator and his creatures, their obli- 
gation to love him as their chief good, and to live 
to his honor as their ultimate end, can never 
cease; the law, therefore, by which such love and 
obedience are enforced, cannot possibly vary. 
Jehovah does not demand our highest love merely 
because of his authority over us, but because 
of his own infinite excellency and relation to us. 
He does not become the only proper object of 
our supreme love because he hath commanded us 
so to love him, but his being the only Jit object 
of our superlative affection is the reason why 
he requires it. The moral law does not make any 
duty fitting and proper, but declares and requires 
what is so. Moral commands, therefore, differ 
from, 

Secondly, positive appointments f the latter arise 
simply from the will of God, and are therefore 
alterable in their nature, being altogether depend- 
ant on his pleasure and sovereign determination ; 
the propriety of moral obedience, the light of 
nature or right reason may discover. But no 
idea can be formed of positive obedience, but in 
consequence of Divine revelation ; the former is 

* The following brief distinction between moral laws 
and positive precepts is offered to the reader : The for- 
mer are enjoined because they are right ; the latter are 
right because they are enjoined. The one have their 
foundation in the nature of things ; the other in the 
toill of the lawgiver. Ed. 



196 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

due from every creatare, whether angelic or 
human : the subjects of the latter are particu- 
larly described in the holy Scriptures* Thus the 
whole code of ceremonial laws was confined to 
Israel, as a shadow of good things to come, and 
was done away in Christ, who was the substance 
which these laws tended to exhibit, and the end in 
which they terminated* But the moral law 
ever was, and ever will be, equally binding on 
all : it being^ the rule of that love and obe- 
dience which Jews and Gentiles naturally owe to 
Jehovah, the supreme good and fountain of exist- 
ence; and to each other, considered as his oft' 
spring. Notwithstanding the ceremonial law 
under the Old Testament was accomplished in 
Christ, and done away by his death, he then, as it 
were, nailing it to his cross, yet many Jews who 
behevedin Jesus continued much attached to the 
shadow, though the substance was come. The 
apostles, therefore, labored to prove the abroga- 
tion of that law by which thosq ceremonial 
observances became binding on the church of 
God, in the former dispensation. These appoint- 
ments had been revered and justly esteemed, 
and they were to Israel very beneficial for two 
purposes: to humble them under a sense of pol- 
lution and guilt, and liability to punishment, 
according to the tenor of the covenant of works, 
to which they had a retrospect view ; and to direct 
their faith and hope to the appointed Saviour 
and promised Messiah. The law was therefor© 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 197 

to tliem as a schoolmaster unto Christ. But 
after Christ was come, they were no longer under 
a schoolmaster. Gal. iii. 24, 25. Those painful 
and tedious appointments becoming unprofitahle, 
the great apostle labored to convince these 
Judaizing believers, that they were not under that 
law. They were under no law as giving a title to 
salvation ; for if there had been a law given, (of 
any kind) which could have given life, verily, 
righteousness should have been by the law; (Gal. 
iii. 21,) and the gospel would have been overturned, 
and the death of Christ quite unnecessary. With 
great difficulty were the Jews brought off from 
the ceremonial observances in the days of the 
apostles ; therefore, those inspired penmen, in 
speaking of the church of Christ as delivered from 
the law, and those tedious, painful, and now un- 
profitable appointments, which were abrogated 
and done away, make use of the most contemp- 
tuous terms when speaking of the subject; calling 
them beggarly elements, carnal ordinances, &c. 
But the duties of the moral law are enforced by the 
strongest motives. In that law Paul delighted 
after the inner man ; and the charge of making it 
void through the faith of the gospel he denies with 
holy vehemence, and rejects the very idea with 
indignation. Do we then make void the law 
through faith ? God forbid : Yea, we establish the 
law. Rom. iii. 31. See a sermon on this text, 
by the Rer.. C. Evans, entitled, The Law estab- 
lished by the Gospel ; Dr. Gill on the Law in the 



198 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

Hand of Christ; and Mr. Booth's Death of Legal 
Hope, &c.^ 

Thirdly; From the universal extent of the 
moral law, the apostle proves that Gentiles as 
well as Jews were under sin, and therefore ex- 
posed to punishment ; that a title to life could not 
arise from, or spring out of human obedience, 
because, according to the rule of righteousness, 
every one is found culpable. Being, therefore, 
condenmed for dispositions and acts contrary 
to law, consequently by the deeds of the law no 
flesh living could be justified: a believer's title 
to life, and exemption from punishment, spring- 
ing from another source. Therefore, such are said 
not to be under the law, but under the administra- 
tion of grace ; for the law is the ministration of 
death to every transgressor, and by it indignation 
and wrath, tribulation and anguish are denounced 
against every soul of man that doth evil, of the 

* Tiie ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper are 
of a positive nature, and dependent entirely on the will of 
God, as revealed in the Scriptures of truth ; there the 
subjects are delineated, the manners of administration 
pointed out and illustrated, the end and design of each 
ordinance explained, and their duration in the church till 
the second coming of Christ, abundantly confirmed. 
The moral law, though distinct from, yet is connected 
• with, and runs through every positive institution; 
whereby obedience to them is enforced on all those who 
are described as proper subjects, which beli'^vers would 
do well to consider. 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 199 

Jew first, and also of the Gentile. But our dear 
Immanuel having fulfilled its precepts and endured 
its penalty in favor of his people, has thereby 
delivered them from deserved punishment, and 
given them a right to life, founded on his infinite 
merits. Believers are therefore delivered from the 
law as a covenant. From it life is not expected by 
them, nor by it death inflicted upon them as afore- 
said, because they are not under the law, but under 
the powerful influences, encouraging promises, 
and copious blessings of grace. However they do 
not, they cannot from thence infer, that their 
obligation to love and obey God is thereby dimin- 
ished, but on the contrary, infinitely increased. 

If any, professing godliness, deny the law of 
the Lord as the rule of obedience, charity obliges 
us to hope their meaning is injudiciously ex- 
[)ressed ; for some people's words and ideas are 
extremely unsociable^ and keep at a vast distance, 
and differ so much, that a reconciliation is scarcely 
ever expected. But those who deliberately 
maintain believers are not under the law as a rule 
of life, and act from such a principle, give full 
evidence that they are grossly ignorant of (not to 
say at enmity with) the nature of God, his 
government, and gos])el. A more pernicious 
sentiment, or a greater absurdity, was never in- 
vented, than tlie aforesaid Antinomian tenet. It 
tends to destroy every idea of good and evil, of 
right and wrong, by denying the existence or 
use of that by which the nature of thoughts and 



200 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES, 

actions is tried and discovered. It renders be- 
lievers incapable of sorrowing for sin, either a» 
in or done by themselves or other Christians. 
For where there is no law, there is no transgres- 
sion. It makes penitence an infallible mark of 
impiety, and delight in the law of God a delu- 
sion ; it tends to prevent a believer from praying 
for Divine direction ; because, however he wander, 
he is never wrong, nor ever in danger of step- 
ping aside out of the path of duty, being not 
obliged to walk in any. A believer must not pray 
to be kept from evil ; lest it grieve him, for sin he 
cannot, do what he may, sin being a transgression 
of the law. Nor can he ask God to forgive him 
his debt, being confident he does not owe his 
Lord one farthing. Whatever may have been 
the case heretofore, he being now a lawless 
person, no demand can be made upon him. In 
a word, Antinomianism teaches a believer neither 
to fear God nor to regard man ; for, according to 
it, he cannot be guilty of offending the one nor of 
injuring the other; for as there is no law, cruelty 
is not prohibited, nor kindness required ; but truth 
and treachery, profanity and piety, love and 
hatred, are equally agreeable in believers. 

"JBwf, brethren, ye have not so learned Christ, if 
so be that ye have heard him, and been taught of 
him as the truth is in Jesus, '^^ Eph. iv. 20, 21. 
You will not only rejoice in your relation to the 
Lord, but each believer ought to consider himself 
as under infinite obligation to love him, to obey 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 201 

him, and to adhere to him, becoming the nature 
of his connexions with him, even as a subject to 
a sovereign,— (1 Thes. ii. 12; Col. i. 10— 13.)— a 
spouse to her husband, — (Eph. v. 23, 29.) — a soldier 
to his genera], — (2 Tim. ii. 3.) — a servant to his mas- 
ter,— ( 1 Pet. ii. 16 ; Rom. vi. 16— 22.)— and as a child 
to a tender compassionate parent. Be ye, therefore, 
follovi^ers of God as dear children. Eph. v. i. 
*' JV^e beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord 
Jesus, that as ye have received of us how you ought 
to walk, and to please God, so ye will abound more 
and more,^^ knowing that the law is good, if a man 
use it lawfully. 1 Thes. iv. 1 ; 1 Tim. i. 8. " For 
this is a faithful saying. That they which have 
believed in God should be careful to maintain 
good works. These things are good and profitable 
to men." Tit. iii. 8. "And let every one that 
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." 
2 Tim. ii. 29. Nothing is more evident than that 
believers are not under the covenant of works, but 
under grace. But what then ? Shall wc sin 
because we are not under the law, but under 
grace? God forbid ! Rom. vi. 15. 

Secondly. [Practical errors present hinderances. 
First:] Though darkness and doubts respecting 
the moral law be removed, others are stumbled in 
respect of the Lord's positive appointments ; partly 
through the neglects of some, and the contemptu- 
ous manner in which others treat the sacred 
ordinances of the gospel, who are notwithstanding 
had in reputation for religion. Young Christians 



202 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

are commonly much influenced by those they value 
and have a veneration for; and, therefore, when 
they observe such who have long known and 
loved the Lord, living in the neglect of gospel 
ordinances, they are ready to conclude, that for 
them to take the lead of such eminent Christians 
would be rash and precipitate; and have the 
appearance of pride and presumption. They, 
therefore, through false modesty, or real fear, keep 
back from telling what God has done for their 
souls, and making a visible profession of Christ 
in his solemn appointments. By delays, their 
zeal for Christ and the love of their espousals 
are greatly abated, and then objections in abun- 
dance arise against its being their particular duty 
on account of not having such a lively frame of 
mind as is thought necessary for such solemn 
proceedings. Thus, through their neglects, others 
are discouraged and prevented bearing a testi- 
mony for Jesus, as he has directed those that love 
him should. 

For the rdief^ direction^ and animation of such 
discouraged believers, I would propose to their 
serious consideration the following things: 

First ; The kindness of Christ in abolishing the 
vast number of ceremonial observances which 
were binding upon the church in the Mosaic dis- 
pensation, and which were to Israel difficult, pain- 
ful, and very expensive, called therefore a yoke of 
bondage ; and as he has appointed only two posi- 
tive ordinances to be observed by his followers 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 203 

under the gospel, viz. Baptism and the Lord's Sup- 
per, how ungrateful is it to refuse obedience or a 
compliance with what is so mild, so merciful, when 
compared with what he made the indispensable 
duty of those whose privileges were inexpressibly 
inferior to yours ! 

Secondly ; Though inquiring Christians ought 
to regard the conduct of others, and are directed 
to go by the footsteps of the flock, and to be fol- 
lowers of them, ivho through faith and patience 
inherit the promises, yet none are to be imitated 
further than they are followers of Christ, how- 
ever eminent they are or may appear to be. The 
more eminent a man is for piety and talents, the 
more pernicious is his example when he is re- 
miss in, or forsakes the path of duty. Perhaps 
some would have remonstrated against the de- 
testable contrivance to change Jehovah's glory 
into the similitude of an ox, had not x\aron, the 
saint of God and priest of the Most High, entered- 
deep into the design. But as things were, the 
people acquiesced with pleasure, and danced for 
joy. Had their elevation been a sure sign of 
God's approbation, all would have been well ; for 
the congregation had a very comfortable time, a 
delightful opportunity, till they were interrupted 
by Moses, who, though naturally weak, yet re- 
buked the transgressors with pungent severity. 
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to 
send forth a stinking savor, so doth a little 
folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and 



S04 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

honor. Eccles. x. 1. Therefore call no man 
master on earth, relating to sacred things. It is 
the example and authority of Christ, your Master 
in heaven, who is Zion's King, which you are 
conscientiously to regard. You ought to love 
and respect all that love Jesus, but at the same 
time consider you serve the Lord Christ. And it 
is to your own Master you stand or fall. To him 
only are you accountable. None can prove they 
have a dispensation granted under his hand for 
the neglect or changing an} of his appointments; 
and indeed none do plead for the power of granting 
indulgences in his name, save the man of sin, and 
those delegated by him. But even supposing 
others to have obtained such a dispensation, what 
proof can be given that you are included in the 
grant ? Stand not, therefore, O believer, waiting 
to see what this or the other good man may re- 
solve to do, nor perplex your mind about Christ's 
conduct to them. Think of Christ's reply to Peter 
when he was so inquisitive about his brother John, 
saying. Lord, what shall this man do ? How keen, 
and yet how kind was the Redeemer's answer to 
the impertinent querist ! If I ivill that he tarry till I 
come. What is that to thee? folloav thou 
ME ; John, xxi- 2^. 

Thirdly: Consider, the Divine authority is not 
to be trifled with. Two sons of Aaron were 
struck dead for daring to deviate from the Lord's 
command. And Moses, the man of God, had like 
to have lost his life through his postponing a 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS 205 

matter of duty, probably in compliance with the 
solicitations of his spouse. Perhaps you may be 
told by some, that an attendance to such appoint- 
ments is unnecessary, as they are not saving or- 
dinances. It might not be amiss to inquire of 
such people, What are saving ordinances ? Where 
are they to be found ? If none are saving, then, 
according to the objection, none ought to be at- 
tended to. No works of righteousness should be 
performed, because salvation is not of works, but 
of grace. It is astonishing such a mongrel maxim 
should ever be used by those who abhor Antino- 
mian liberty^ and Arminian legality, seeing the 
nature of both are therein united. It is the genuine 
offspring of those two very opposite and equally 
absurd sentiments. Has Jesus in very deed lost 
all his authority, that his appointments should 
sink into insignificancy ? and has Christ done so 
little for his people, that they are under no manner 
of obligation, out of gratitude, to act for him ? 
Has the love of Jesus lost its constraining in- 
fluence? And ought Christians to be really in 
different about serving God any further than they 
can merit by it ? 

Is the dying request of dear friends usually 
regarded by the surviving relatives ? And shall 
not our best friend, our dear dying Immanuel, be 
listened to with £ordial affection, when he ap 
pointed the ordinance of the Supper, saying, "This 
do in remembrance of me r" Afterwards he sent 
from heaven, by the apostle Paul, arenewa^ of his 



206 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

request to the churches. See 1 Cor. xi. 23. His 
ordinances are his palaces where he shows his 
glory, and feasts with his people, saying, " Eat, 
O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O be- 
loved." Come forward, then, ye friends of Jesus, 
follow his example, and receive the kind me- 
morials of his love. 

Secondly ; Divine requirements being superior to 
the ability of men in their present fallen condition, 
have been exceedingly perplexing to many; es- 
pecially such as feel themselves without strength, 
which the Scriptures declare them to be for whom 
Christ died, (Rom. v. 6.) and to whom he says, 
Without me ye can do nothing, John, xv. 5, whose 
experience of their utter inability and absolute 
dependence on the Lord coincides with what the 
apostle expresses concerning himself and his 
brethren, who were even able ministers of the 
New Testament. Their language is, Who is 
sufficient for these things ? 2 Cor. ii. 16. 

We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any 
thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of 
God. 2 Cor. iii. 5, 6. From a consciousness of 
personal inability, joined with a conviction of their 
absolute and necessary obligation to obedience, 
arise various difficulties relating to the equity of 
God in requiring that of his creatures which be 
knows and declares is not in their power to per- 
form. To assert and maintain that men have 
an inherent power to turn to God and embrace the 
gospel, and glorify him in a course of holy obe- 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 207 

tlience to his law, without the infusion of super- 
natural principles, is to oppose the positive de- 
clarations of God's word respecting the necessity 
of regeneration, and the impossibility of those 
who are in the flesh doing any thing pleasing and 
acceptable to God. See Rom. viii. 5, 8. But 
those who oppose the doctrine of free grace are 
constrained to plead for the power of man to love 
and obey God, representing men's inability a? 
absolutely inconsistent with scriptural commandt 
and exhortations to obedience and faith ; these, on 
the one hand, declaim with an air of triumph oc 
the absurdity of supposing God to require im- 
possibilities ; in which those heartily concur wh© 
hold the truth in unrighteousness, and represent 
men as quite blameless, though disobedient, be- 
cause they have no power of themselves to obey* 
Various methods have been taken to apologize for 
man's imperfections, and extenuate his guilt. As 
men are naturally disaffected to God, it is no 
wonder they should endearor to new model his 
government according to their difl^erent inclina- 
tions, in order to keep eonscience easy, and 
support a pleasing expectation of future happiness 
without holiness; or being beholden to his cle- 
mency and grace. Every opposition to the gos- 
pel, every false scheme of divinity, agree in 
supposing the law of God naturally too severe ; 
and that it ought to be, if possible, accommodated, 
and rendered agreeable to men's present condi- 
tion ; though they greatly differ as to the manner 



208 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

how it may be accomplished. And those who 
think the law of God cannot be altered or ex- 
plained so as to suit the carnal mind, and having 
an equal aversion to internal purity as to the 
law which requires it, therefore plead for an 
exemption and total deliverance from its hateful 
authority, esteeming it a peculiar privilege to 
settle if possible in the province of Antinomian- 
ism ; a state so far from God, that the wretched 
inhabitants suppose his dominion does not extend 
to them. All false systems unite in proof of one 
important truth, which is, that till God's law be 
approved of, as just in all its demands and awful 
denunciations, the gospel will never be properly 
understood and cordially embraced; which the 
following brief remarks may perhaps sufficiently 
evince, as well as prepare the way to a solution of 
the difficulty in question. 

First ; Some confidently assert that on the failure 
of man in his obedience, the perfections of God 
obliged him to alter the constitution of his govern- 
ment so far, as that there was no need at all of 
Christ's death to procure an exemptron from 
punishment. That repentance and pardon are 
connected by the law of natural equity. That 
Christ came not to make a reconciliation for ini- 
quity, but only as a pattern of acceptable obe- 
dience, and to confirm his doctrine by sealing it 
with his blood. But, in confirmation of the truth 
for which he was condemned, Christ could have 
prayed to his Father, who would have sent more 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS, 209 

than twelve legions of angels to have delivered 
him from death. But how then (said he) should 
the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be, 
(Matt. xxvi. 53, 54,) for without shedding of blood 
there is no remission. Heb. ix. 22. Admitting 
Christ came only as an example, will it not follow 
that the law which he came to obey required 
purity of nature and perfect obedience ; seeing 
our pattern was the subject of both r If the law 
did not require perfect obedience, but repentance 
was substituted and accepted in its stead, and 
Christ came to set us an example how we might 
obtain salvation ; is it not natural to infer, that in 
order to his being a proper pattern to us for such 
a purpose and end, he should have been deficient 
in his obedience, and the subject of sincere re- 
pentance^ and thus have demonstrated for our 
encouragement and imitation, that though he was 
imperfect as we are, yet by being penitent, he ob- 
tained forgiveness of all his imperfections. This 
scheme, it must be acknowledged, so far as relates 
to acceptance with God, entirely excludes the ne- 
cessity of Christ ; he being neither a proper pat- 
tern to show men how they might obtain salvation, 
nor its procuring author. However by such a 
rejection of Jesus the Scriptures are fulfilled, 
which say, If there had been a law which could 
have given life, verily righteousness had been by 
the law. Gal. iii. 21. And if righteousness came 
by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Gal. ii. 
21. If the death of Christ was entirely in vain, 
S 



210 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES, 

his laying down his Hfe, when there was no need 
for it, cannot be deemed an example ivortJiy of onr 
imitation ; for no man. however heroic, has a righs 
to throw away his hfe to no purpose. So far from 
its being virtuous, such conduct would not only 
be imprudent, but extremely sinful. Can we su])- 
pose Christ came into our world on a needless 
errand, and shed his blood in vain7 Yet shock- 
ing as the supposition is, it must be granted, as 
an established fact, if there was any law existing 
w^hich could have given life. For nothing could 
be more evident, than that if men could have an- 
swered the demands of the law, there would have 
been no need of the obedience and death of Jesus, 
according to the reasoning of the great apostle, 
whose judgment in divinity few will care to 
dispute. Thissysteniytherefore, tends to emharrasSy 
instead of solving the question, respecting the 
equity of God in requiring 'that of his creatures 
which they are now unable to perform. 

Secondly ; Some suppose the difficulty would 
be removed if it might be allowed that Christ by 
liis death procured or engaged the Father's love 
to sinners, so far as to obtain a relaxation of that 
law under which they originally were, and estab* 
lish a milder system of government suited to 
the condition of his rebeUious subjects. But this 
plea is quite inadmissible, because the love of 
God, from which salvation springs, was the cause 
of Christ's coming to die for transgressors. "God 
so loved the world, that he gave bis only begotten 



I 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 211 

Son." Jolm, iii. 16. *' In this was maiiifesteJ the 
Jove of God towards us, that God sent [lis Son into 
the world, that we might live through hiiri." John, 
iv. 9. " Herehy we perceive the love of God, hecaiise 
he laid down his life for us." Chap. iii. 16. 
Christ did not jirocure a new remedial law, he- 
cause that laiD under which sinners are, requires 
perfect ohedience, on j>ain of [perpetual punish- 
ment, "Cursed is every one that continucth not 
in all things written in the hook of the law to do 
them, and as many as are of the works of the 
law are under its curse." Gal. iii. 10. The la\r 
under which sinners are, is that according to 
which the world stands condemned as criminal 
at Jehovah's bar, and hy the <leeds of which no 
flesh shall be justified in his sight, ilom. iii.lDj 
20. Those who thirds a relaxation of the law is 
obtained, ought to point out wherein the abate- 
ment consisteth, that men might keep in a happy 
medium, and not presume to go beyond i\ov fall 
short In obedience to its f^recepts. Will the 
Lord indeed allow men to have other gods be- 
sides himself, or to worship him in a way con- 
trary to what he has appointed.'^ Will lie hold 
them guiltless that take his name in vain ? May 
people now lawfully forget to keep holy the sab- 
bath day? Has Christ released men from their 
natural obligations to parents? Or given them a 
license to murder, to live in uncleanness, and 
falsely to accuse their neighbors, or covet what 
i;s the pro[>€rty of others? If moral commands 



212 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

continue in full force, as is abundantly evident 
from the New Testament, wherein then does the 
alteration consist ? Does the law cease to take 
cognizance of the heart, and being less spiritual 
is it therefore more agreeable to the carnal mind? 
If that be the case, how can mental acts be con- 
demned by it, which the Scriptures positively de- 
clare they are ? Impure desires are by it deemed 
adultery; hatred, murder; and covetousness, 
idolatry. See Matt. v. 28; 2 Pet. ii. 14; 1 John, 
iii. 15; Col. iii. 5. The language of Christians 
in the apostolic day was. We know the law is spi- 
ritual. Rom. vii. 14. It is holy, just, and good, 
Rom. vii. 12. I delight in it after the inward 
man, says Paul, verse 22, so then with my mind 
I serve the law of God, verse 25. The law of 
which the apostle spoke, and in which he delighted 
was that which slew him, that commandment 
which was ordained to life, (but as a criminal) 
he found to be unto death. Verse 10, 11. He was 
delivered from it as a covenant, but under it as an 
unalterable law, verse 6, 7\ as a covenant it 
became weak (that it could not give life to the 
sinner,) not weak in its own nature, much less 
wicked, but w^eak through the flesh. What it 
could no| therefore do in favor of t;lie guilty,, 
was done by Jesus, who did not blame the law, 
but justified and satisfied its demands, and con- 
demned all opposition to it, even sin iii the flesh. 
Rom. Tiii. 3. The law under which Christians, 
are, requires truth in the inward parts as raueb 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 213 

as ever, and cannot alter whilst Jehovah remains 
the same : for God is a Spirit, and they that wor- 
ship him MUST worship him in spirit and in 
truth. John, ii. 24. If then both the matter and 
spiritual nature of moral obedience remain the 
same, notwithstanding men's inability, it is evi- 
dent the law by which obedience is enforced is 
not altered^ and that a new remedial law is a fic- 
tion. Besides, if the law became unrighteous 
when its subjects became ungodly (which would 
be blasphemy to suppose,) God would certainly 
have repealed it, and not sent his son to honor 
an unjust law, at the expense of his blood. Fi- 
nally : If the Divine law ceaseth to require perfect 
obedience, saints will at last rise in obedience 
superior to the law under which they are ; for the 
spirits of just men will be made perfect^ and 
when so they will love God more than he desires 
they should, unless the law rise and fall in its re- 
quirements according to the inclination of its sub- 
jects, on which absurd hypothesis the notion of a 
new law seems to be founded. The gospel exhibits 
new motives to love and obedience^ and graciously 
conveys new principles, in consequence of which 
saints yield to God new obedience, and by his au- 
thority attend to neiv positive ordinances, for new 
and special purposes ; and are accepted of God, 
and approach him under new characters, in a 
new and living way; and are encouraged by new 
and better promises, in consequence of iheneio and 
well ordered covenant of grace, under which they 



^14 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

are. But though he make all things new in re- 
spect of acceptance with him, and enjoyment of him 
and old things pass away in favor of them who 
inhabit the new Jerusalem, yet as God is the same, 
witliout variableness, in his own adorable joer/ec- 
iions, infinite beauty, and boundless authority, he 
cannot therefore alter his moral law, considered 
simply as a law, without giving up his claim to 
Deity, because moral obligations arise from that 
natural connexion and relation subsisting between 
God and rational creatures, considered as the pro- 
ductions of his power. Hence it is that woaltera- 
tion'm them can possibly diminish their obligations 
to him. 

"Our revolt was a practical declaration that 
he was not by nature God, nor worthy to be 
glorified as God. To give up the law in favor 
of his rebellious creatures, must therefore be 
the same in effect, as for God to give up his own 
divinity, and ungod himself in the sight of all his 
dominions, to gratify a rebel."* It is no new 
thing for professors of religion to show an inclina- 
tion to excuse themselves, and throw the hlame 
upon God ; a certain wicked and slothful servant, 
when called to an account by his master, could 
say, "Lord, I knew thee to be an hard man, 
reaping where thou hast not sown, and gatheiing 
where thou hast not strewed, and I was afraid, 

"^ See Mr. Joseph Bellamy on the Nature and Glory 
of the Gospel, p. 21. 



ERRORS or FALSK RELISIOI^ISTS. 215 

nnd went and hid my Lord's mone}'." Matt. xxv. 
24. Sinners in general think their case would 
not he so extremely had as the Scriptures assert 
and they frequently fear, were they fairly dealt 
with. Instead of taking hlame and shame to 
themselves, their powers are employed to find 
out other methods to appease conscience, and sup- 
port hope, than that which is set before them in 
the gospel. Therefore, 

Thirdly ; Some apprehend the difficulty may 
he solved hy supposing a certain degree of grace 
bestowed on all men, in order to enable them to 
perform what is necessary to the enjoyment of 
God's friendship and favor. But the difficulty 
is rather increased than diminished by this contri- 
vance. For, 

If such degrees of grace be necessary to en- 
able men to obey, and render their disobedience 
inexcusable, it necessarily supposes, that unless 
such a degree of what is called common grace 
was given them of God, they could not have been 
judged hlameahle for the ivant of obedience. If 
they were not hlameahle he/ore, or antecedent to 
the supposed grace being bestowed, they certainly 
were not liahle to punishment. And if not hable 
to punishment he/ore they had this common grace 
conferred on thein, how is this common grace an 
advantage? seeing ihsii without it they were safe, 
but the possession of it has rendered their state at 
best precarious. 

Again ; if such grace be given not so much for 



216 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

their advantage, as to vindicate JehovaWs character, 
which is by some supposed to be the design of 
it (for men, being not culpable without it, but in 
consequence of it, could have done very well 
had it never been bestowed ; for where there 
is no blame, no punishment can in equity be in- 
flicted ;) — I say if this common grace, or light with- 
in, or whatever name it may be called by, be given 
for the purpose of vindicating the character of 
God as a lawgiver and judge, it is necessarily 
implied or pre-supposed, that without such a be- 
stowment, his conduct would have been liable to 
censure and impeachment, and not at all capable of 
being defended as equitable and just. 

Further ; If without the impartation of the afore- 
said grace, men would have had cause to com- 
plain of unfair dealing, what is called common 
grace is, in fact, no other than a common debt, 
which God could not justly withhold from any 
man. Thus the doctrine of common grace repre- 
sents the Lord as neither generous nor just. It is 
the same as saying. If God will please to do us 
justice, we will out of complaisance call it grace. 
But, as a proof of esteeming what we call grace 
a proper debt, and no real favor, we, in our hearts, 
verily account, and are bold to declare that with- 
out such a bestowment, we should have had cause 
for ever to complain of harsh treatment. Thus 
it appears that all erroneous systems, however 
widely they differ, agree in tacitly charging God 
and his law with injustice in condemning for 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 217 

sin; and that the enmity of carnal men is such, 
that they cannot be reconciled to his government 
unless certain concessions be made on his part 
to obtain their forgiveness of the supposed injury. 
However, it is evident, that approving views of the 
requirements of God's law are absolutely necessary, 
in order to admiring views of the grace in his 
gospel. For where condemnation would be unjust 
an acquittal is no favor ; and where obedience is 
not due, it cannot be justly demanded. 

Fourthly ; Another method of accounting for 
God's requiring perfect obedience of imperfect 
men, is the consideration of our being represented 
by Adam in the covenant which was made with 
him. The reasoning of many eminent men has 
been thus : — " We had in Adam full and adequate 
ability every way proportionable to the nature 
and extent of duty ; and though men have lost 
their power to obey, God has neither lost nor 
given up his authority to command : therefore 
it is our duty to exert not only the strength 
we are now possessed of, but likewise the strength 
we should have had, supposing our first par- 
ent had continued in that state of purity and 
power." 

That Adam was the covenant head of his pos- 
terity, appears evident from the Scriptures, and I 
hope has been proved under another particulai 
head. And that advantages and disadvantage^ 
naturally result from representation, accordini' 

as representatives act in their public character. 
T 



218 * PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

none, I presume, will deny. The covenant made 
with our first parent was most certainly a right- 
eous constitution ; and had the condition been 
performed, we should all have admired, not only 
the equity, but the kindness of the compact. But, 
as success does not make a transaction equitable, 
nor does a failure constitute a stipulation wrong 
which is naturally right, we may rest satisfied, 
that it was impossible for an infinitely holy God 
and an innocent creature to enter into an agree- 
ment essentially wrong. Therefore, we ought to 
be for ever silent, in respect of censure and com- 
plaint. 

Though this last-mentioned method of account- 
ing for the Lord's requiring of us what is supe- 
rior to our present power be less exceptionable 
than any of those before referred to, yet it does 
not seem to come fully to the point, or cast suffi- 
cient light upon the subject ; for it seems con- 
trary to the common or known rules of justice 
and equity, to punish on the account of not per- 
forming what is naturally impossible to be per- 
formed. 

Hence, some who have endeavored to hold up 
the doctrines of grace as objects of ridicule and 
contempt, have boldly asserted, that according 
to these doctrines, future judgment would be a 
mere farce. For that God might as justly punish 
slow moving animals for deficiency in swiftness, 
and those for not flying who have no wings to 
fly with, nor in any respect formed for such a 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 219 

motion, as to punish men for not doing what they 
cannot possibly accomplish, but is as m\ich above 
their power as to create a world. Such kind of 
checks the adherents to truth have frequently met 
with. And such reasoning, or rather declamation, 
has been very stumbling to weak Christians. 
Some have been severely tried by the above mis- 
representation of gospel truths, and tempted to 
think what they dare not utter. 

For the relief of such, I would propose to their 
calm and candid consideration a distinction 
between natural and moral inability which seems 
necessary to be well understood in order to obtain 
consistent views of Divine revelation, relating to 
the requirements of God's righteous law and the 
nature of his precious gospel. 

By Natural inability, is intended a want of a 
natural capacity or opportunity to know and do 
what is commanded, or an absolute defect in the 
natural powers of a man's mind or body, by which 
he is rendered incapable of acting although his 
^ill were bent upon the performance of his duty. 
Whatever totally prevents, or is in absolute ob- 
struction in the way of a person's knowing or 
doing any thing, which renders the acquirement 
impossible, though he be ever so desirous of 
accomplishing it, is what I wish to have consid- 
ered as included in natural inability. 

Moral inability consists in a disinclination to 
"what is good, or a dislike of, and aversion to, 
what God has made a person's duty. That I 



220 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

may be properly understood, I would further 
observe, that by natural power and ability, is 
intended, the possession or enjoyment of such 
powers and properties of soul and body, as are 
necessary for the purpose of mental and corporeal 
actions, and being in a situation suitable for the 
exertion of them. 

By moral ability is intended a suitable dispo- 
sition, which consists in a holy inclination, a pro- 
pensity of mind to what is truly good. To illus- 
trate and point out the propriety and utility of the 
above distinction, for the relief of entangled minds, 
I shall endeavor to demonstrate, 

First, That natural inability, as above stated, is 
not a criminal defect ; and that, 

Secondly, Moral inability is inseparably con- 
nected with fault, and cannot possibly be considered 
as an excuse or palliation of blame, but on the 
contrary, that a man is culpable, because of his 
inability to obey ; or that criminality increases in 
proportion to the degree of moral impotency. 

That natural inability is not a criminal defect, or 
culpable deficiency, will perhaps appear evident, if 
the following observations be duly attended to. 

First ; Though men's powers of mind and body 
are no doubt greatly impaired by the fall, or the 
entrance of sin, yet the Scriptures do not seem to 
intimate that weakness in either is sinful ; they 
are spoken of as pitiable infirmities, but never as 
punishable faults. Therefore it is written, As a 
father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 2Q1 

that fear him. He considers our frame, and 
remembers we are but dust. Parents, by whose 
pity the Lord illustrates his own, know how to 
make the distinction res|.»ecting their children, 
and would be cruel if they did not. Supposing a 
son in the height of some criminal proceeding 
should break his legs, would it not be deemed 
cruel, not only to punish him for the criminal 
action by which he came by his disaster, but for 
his not walking, which he would be very glad to 
do if he could. Upon this self-evident principle 
of equity, Mephibosheth founded his plea, when 
accused by his servant of disloyalty to king David 
his sovereign. He loved David's person and 
government, and he pleaded, that his not accom- 
panying him in a time of trouble, when he fled 
before his unnatural son, was not owing to disaf- 
fection^ but Thy servant is lame. 

It is not the sin of the blind that they do 
not read the Scriptures ; nor are the deaf blame- 
able for not hearing the sound of the gospel : nor 
the dumb culpable on account of their not plead- 
ing for God. Nor is it the duty of any to work 
or war with their hands who have none. Nor 
are any blamed for being sick, though it should 
be unto death. The reason is, because they could 
not he or do otherwise if they would. Though 
Paul's bodily presence was weak, and his speech 
contemptible, yet he did not consider himself crimi^ 
nal on that account ; but rejoiced in his infirmities, 
yea, most gladly rejoiced in them, that the power 



222 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

of Christ might rest upon him ; but he did not 
rejoice in his sins. 

Secondly ; Deficiency or weakness in mental 
powers is not criminal ; for was that the case, the 
weakest men would be the most wicked, and 
those who are superior in natural parts would 
always excel in piety, which is contrary to fact, as 
founded on observation and revelation. Men are 
dead in sin, but that death does not consist in 
a deprivation of natural faculties. When ration- 
ality is absent, the words and actions of such 
people are never deemed punishable, because 
they are not accounted criminal. But if the 
fault lay in natural weakness, the less understand- 
ing and reason a parson is possessed of at any 
time, the greater would be his crimes. And instead 
of not being punished for injuring others, such 
ought to be punished with greater severity on that 
account. 

Thirdly ; In regeneration the Holy Spirit does 
not create new faculties, or bestow a new set 
of natural powers; he does not produce ^'anew 
head, but a new heart,^^ by infusing new principles 
and holy dispositions. But if a deficiency in 
natural powers was the Jountain of fault, or the 
source of blame, from whence criminal actions 
proceed, there would be a necessity for the pro- 
duction of new faculties, or otherwise a removal 
of their natural deficiencies. And if so, the surest 
evidences of a gracious change would be a strong 
memory, a fertile imagination, a fund of wit, 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 223 

and a profound, deep understanding, or clear 
ideas, and strong reasoning. In short, an assem- 
blage of fine brilliant parts would, in that case, 
be the best proof of true holiness. And thus the 
devil might perhaps he admired for his purity, 
for according to that mode of reasoning Satan 
might be proved a delightful saint. No greater 
natural powers are necessary to love God, than to 
hate him ; to serve him, than to oppose him. 
Therefore God does not require more of any man 
than the right use of what he hath. And surely 
it is not wrong to require what is right, God does 
not require any thing unreasonable ; he requires 
only what he has a right to, and deserves ; even 
all the heart, all the soul, and all the strength. 
He does not require in point of degree the like of 
all ; for " to whom much is given, of them he 
requires the more." Luke, xii. 48. It is each 
one's all that he demands; he does not require his 
creatures to be alike strong in mental powers : he 
never intended they should. Angels excel in 
strength ; but he requires all his rational crea- 
tures to love and serve him with all the strength 
they have. He could not require more with 
equity to his creatures, nor dispense with less in 
justice to himself. He requires nothing naturally 
impossible to be performed. He has not made 
any thing the duty of his creatures which ex- 
ceeds their natural ability, nor does he punish 
them for not acquiring or doing what is naturally 
beyond their power to perform. As men's na- 



224 PRACTICAL DlFFICULTlfiS. 

tural capacities and situations are very different, 
he does not therefore require all men to be alike 
knowing, nor does he require knowledge above 
and beyond the means of information. He does 
not condemn those who have no revelation, for 
not knowing what is only knowable by revela- 
tion ; nor expect of those who have the Scriptures 
to know a tittle more than is revealed by them. 
Hence, as to those things which are only re- 
vealed as matters of fact, that they are ignorant 
how they are, is not the sin of any man. Though 
God exhorts to liberality, yet none are required 
to give liberally who have nothing to bestow. 
Duty is ever measured by natural ability ; and 
where that is wanting, the Lord accepts of a 
willing mind* See 2 Cor. viii. 12. Where the 
disposition is right, and the design or intention 
good, the want of ability to act as intended, 
exculpates the person from a charge of criminality 
in that lespect. In a word, the good man is not 
blameable because he cannot do so much for God 
as he would ; nor is the bad man commendable, 
because he cannot do evil according to his will 
and desire. Many wicked men would be greater 
villains than they are, if they knew how. But 
though they have not ability or opportunity to act 
agreeably to their inclinations, none surely will 
commend them on that account. See Acts, xxiii. 
12. 1 Kings, viii. 18. 

As commendation and blame do not result 
from natural ability or inability, but from dispo- 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 225 

sitions and voluntary acts, therefore Jehovah's 
conduct stands evidently clear from the imputa- 
tion of injustice or cruelty, seeing his require- 
ments are proportionate to, and are nothing more 
than a right use of the natural pov^ers, and the 
privileges his creatures possess. His commands 
are not grievous in their own nature, whatever 
they be to our corrupt minds. They are agree- 
able, and suited to the natural powers of men, 
however contrary and disgustful to their natural 
inclinations. 

Secondly ; If we attend seriously to moral ina- 
bility, we shall discover thereby the awful con- 
dition in which men naturally are, and the abso- 
lute necessity of omnipotent grace to deliver 
them from a state evidently helpless, and truly 
deplorable. For such cannot love God, nor con- 
tribute in the least to their own deliverance ; 
and yet their criminality is equal to their inability. 
A sinner while unrenewed by grace cannot love 
God, obey the law, or embrace the gospel. 
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God, 
for it is not subject to the law of God, neither 
indeed can be. Rom. viii. 7. The wicked will 
not seek after God : God is not in all his thoughts. 
Psalm X. 4. Such do not like to retain God in 
their hearts ; therefore desire not the knowledge 
of his ways. Rom. i. 28 ; Job, xxi. 14. Yea, they 
treat him with scorn and disdain. Wherefore 
do the wicked contemn God? Psalm x. 13. They 
being the subjects of dispositions contrary to his 



226 PRACTICAL DIFFJCULTIES. 

holy nature, are therefore alienated from the life 
of God, and dead in trespasses and in sins. Eph. 
ii. 1 ; chap. iv. 18. The natural man is blind to 
the moral excellency and beauty of God ; to 
the spiritual glories of Christ and his kingdom. 
He has no perception of the things of the Spirit 
qf God, neither can he know them, because they 
are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor. ii. 14. As 
unconverted sinners cannot be subject to the law 
of God, so they cannot embrace the gospel. Jesus 
himself has declared it impossible while they con- 
tinue in that state, saying, "No man can come 
unto me, except the Father which hath sent me 
draw him." John, vi. 44. " The Spirit of truth 
the world cannot receive." John, xiv. 17. "Why 
do ye not understand my speech ? Even because 
ye CANNOT hear my word." John, viii. 43. "Their 
ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken." 
(The reason is added, not as owing to natural, but 
moral inability, for) *^ behold the word of the Lord 
is unto them a reproach, they have no delight in 
it." Jer. vi. 10. Their hearts are destitute of spir- 
itual emotions, and compared to stone ; (Ezek. , 
xxxvi. 26;) even to the adamant, (Zech. vii. 12,) 
which is harder than flint, (Ezek. iii. 9,) and which 
naturalists have said cannot be broken till steepedt 
in the blood of a goat."^ So then they that are in 
the flesh cannot please God, (Rom. viii. 8) being 
under the sole power and dominion of dispositions 
averse to his nature and will. 



Plin, Nat. Hist, book 37, chap. 4. 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIO.MSTS. 227 

They cannot love and obey God, till they are 
inclined so to do ; and no man can be so disposed 
to love God, till he view him as an agreeable 
object. And God never was agreeable to a car- 
nal mind, it being enmity against him, on which 
account it is not, cannot be subject to him. 
Rom. viii. 7. Such will neglect and despise God, 
while they continue to prefer other things before 
him. Those therefore who are lovers of plea- 
sures more than lovers of God, cannot possibly 
esteem him as the chief good ; and unless he be 
loved as such, he is not, as God, loved at all. 
Those who love the praise of men more than the 
praise of God, cannot seek the honor which 
cometh from him only. For every one, if not 
prevented, will undoubtedly pursue what he pre- 
fers, or act according to his prevailing iticlina- 
tions. Those, therefore, could not believe in, or 
adhere to the humble Jesus, who were ambitious 
of human honor. To such he said, How can ye 
believe which receive honor one of another ? 
John, V. 44. 

But some may ask, " May not such persons love 
God, repent and believe the gospel if they will ?" 
Answer, " Most certainly they may if they choose 
to do so." There is nothing to prevent their 
doing so, wherever the gospel is published, but 
their own criminal dispositions. There is no 
bar in their way, but the wickedness of their 
hearts. Whosoever will are invited to come and 
take of the waters of life freely. Rev. xxii. 17. 



228 iPRACTlCAL DIFFICULTIES. 

They have faculties or powers of mind adequate 
to what God requires of them. It is not owing to 
the want of natural ability, as before stated, but 
they have no moral ability to perform what is 
good; their impotency consists in an aversion to 
the things of God. When that is removed the 
difficulty is over. Foi*, where God is loved, sin 
will be hated, Christ admired, and the gospel will 
be received and embraced, with cordial affection 
and faith. But whilfe men are in a carnal state, 
they cannot choose what is spiritually good ; for 
that would suppose them capable of choosing 
what they do not approve of, or of preferring 
what they do not esteem, but to which they have 
a fixed aversion. Whilst a person sees no come- 
liness in Christ, wherefore he should desire him, 
he cannot possibly choose him as the chief among 
ten thousand— his all in all ; which believers do. 
Nor can he hate sin till it become disagreeable to 
him, or sincerely seek the salvation of God till he 
feels he wants it, and knows its worth. 

The question therefore should rather be, Whe- 
ther any unrenewed person ever did, or possibly 
can choose to love God, hate sin, and cordially 
embrace the gospel? For, if none while in that 
state or condition ever did or can, make such a 
choice^ a willingness in such a case is not suppose- 
able. If unconverted persons may love God, 
repent, and truly believe in Jesus, conversion 
would be needless so far as it relates to such well- 
disposed persons ; for true believing penitents 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 229 

shall be saved. And if so, such may be in heaven 
who never were born again, contrary to the ex- 
press and solemn declarations of the Saviour, 
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the 
kingdom of God ; except ye be converted and 
become as little children, ye shall not enter into 
the kingdom of heaven. John, iii. 3, 5, 7. Matt. 
xviii. 3. And if unregenerate persons may love 
God, and obey the gospel, how, and by what, 
are we to distinguish between those who are re^ 
generated and those who are not ? If they can- 
not be distinguished who turn themselves, from 
those whose hearts are turned and changed by 
the Lord, the apostle's question to Christian con- 
verts, Who maketh thee to differ^ would be quite 
impertinent. We are taught by the unerring 
word, that there is as great a likeness to, and as 
close a .connexion between men's voluntary ac- 
tions and their internal principles, as between 
the nature of a tree and the kind of fruit it bears, 
or a fountain and its streams. Matt. vii. 16, 20 ; 
James iii. 11, 12. When a corrupt fountain sends 
forth pure streams ; and thorns, brambles, and 
thistles, produce figs and grapes ; when the whole 
course of nature is quite reversed, then, and not 
before, may we expect a carnal man to choose 
spiritual things. 

But it may be replied, that as man is a free 
agent, he has power to choose what and when he 
thinks proper. That man is a free agent cannot 
be denied, consistently with his being account- 



930 PRACTICAL DIFPICTTLTIES. 

able for his own actions. Man's free agency 
consisteth in a power or capacity to compare 
ideas and to give a preference to what appears, 
all thing considered, to be most agreeable to 
himself. Perfect freedom consisteth in a man's 
acting agreeably to his own inclination, without 
any compulsion or restraint. A man, therefore, 
being ga free agent, will act agreeably to his own 
mind ; therefore free agency is a farther confir- 
mation of man's moral inability. For, as Divine 
things are, in their very nature, disagreeable to the 
unrenewed sinner ; therefore as a free agent he 
will, and cannot but, choose the contrary, as being 
agreeable to the desires and bent of his soul. 
If it be said, " Man has a determining power 
over his own will, and therefore his"* will acts 
as he directs it, and consequently he is capable 
of making a commendable and virtuous choice:" 
this indeed is the dernier, or last resort of most 
sensible Arminians. It does not seem very in- 
telligible to talk of a power over a power, resolv- 
ing to resolve, or directing that by which a man 
is guided, and leading what he follows. How- 
ever, granting all that can be desired, yet man's 
moral inabihty remains just asbefore stated. For 
supposing a man to direct his will what to choose, 
he is sure to direct it to choose that which he 
thinks is best, or what is most agreeable to him- 
self. The choice, therefore, which he is supposed 
to direct his will to make, cannot possibly be in 
favor of true religion, while spiritual things are 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 231 

disagreeable to him ; which they will continue 
to be as long as his heart is unrenewed by grace. 
For the first supposed act of his mind, by which 
the subsequent act of his will is directed, must 
be according to the light in which he views the 
objects to be chosen ; and while he does not view 
the glory and superlative excellence of Divine 
things, he cannot give a preference to them ; for 
that would be preferring what he disesteems. 
And till he prefers them he cannot order his will 
to choose them. Thus it appears that every 
wicked man is held by the cords of his sins. 
Prov. V. 22. He feedeth on ashes ; a deceived heart 
hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his 
soul, nor say. Is there not a lie in my right hand ? 
Isaiah, xliv. 20. That this awful state of moral 
inability and death, is a blameable condition, or a 
criminal defect, will appear from the following 
observations. 

1. It is voluntary and free. Men are not com- 
pelled to sin contrary to their inclinations ; but 
the hearts of the sons of men are set in them to 
do evil. Eccles. viii. 11. Their language is, "We 
have loved strangers, and after them ivill we go." 
Jer. ii. 25. " As for the word thou hast spoken 
to us from the Lord, we mil not hearken unto 
thee." Jer. xliv. 18. "Israel (saith the Lord) 
would haye none of me." Psalm Ixxxi. 11. "I 
called, but they gave me no answer ; all the day 
long have I stretched out my hand to a disobedi- 
ent and gainsaying people," (Rom. x. 21,) "which 



232 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

walketh in a way that was not good, after their 
own thoughts,^^ (Isa. Ixv. 2) " which said unto God, 
Depart from us; and what can the Ahnighty do 
for them ? Depart from us, for we desire not the 
knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty 
that we should serve him ; and what profit should 
we have if we pray unto him?" Job, xxii. 17; 
chap, xxi, 11. 14, "We will not have this man to 
reign over us." The result of their consultation 
against the Lord, and his anointed, is, " Let us 
break their bands asunder and cast away their cords 
from us," Psalm ii. 3. Now if men are accoun- 
table for any of their actions, they must be so for 
those which are voluntary. Involuntary acts are 
not of a criminal nature; they do not discover a 
bad disposition. A good man (like Peter) may be 
bound by violent hands, and carried whither he 
would not. In that case it is not his fault, though 
he be found in company with men of the most 
abandoned characters, being there contrary to his 
choice or inclination, A gracious person . may 
possibly be delirious, and when so, or in fits of 
convulsions, may injure himself or his friends ; 
as such frequently discover the greatest antipathy 
to those whom they most highly esteemed when 
in their right minds ; yet such actions, though very 
detrimental, are never deemed criminal, because 
they are not then considered as effects of a bad 
disposition, but as proceeding from disorders in the 
animal frame. Acts of a nature much less violent 
and injurious, are accounted punishable when 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 233 

there is evidence they are entirely voZwnfan/ and 
/ree, or arise from a had design. Involuntary 
actions may occasion much grief when reflected 
upon ; but a person cannot be said to repent of 
them, any more than a man can repent be- 
cause he has not had a proper perspiration, or a 
regular pulse. Praise and blame, rewards and 
punishments, are only connected with those actions 
which are the fruit of internal volitions. There- 
fore no man will be punished further than he is 
sinful, and no action deemed sinful which is not 
the effect of choice. Noris any man praiseworthy, 
whatever good may result to others from bis 
conduct, if it appears that what he did was either 
the effect of compulsion^ or with an ill design. 
Mordecai was not under any real obligation to 
Haman, though he was by him arrayed in royal 
apparel, and brought through the city on horseback, 
who likewise proclaimed before him, " Thus shall 
it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to 
honor r^ because what he did was contrary to his 
inclination or choice, being compelled through fear of 
the king's displeasure. Nor were Joseph's breth- 
ren commendable, though they were instruments 
of his advancement in Egypt ^ because, though 
they sent him thither, they meant it for evil. The 
devil's testimony in favor of Christ's filial relation 
to God did not entitle him to commendation as 
Peter's did, though equally true, full, and explicit, 
because Peter's confession was voluntary, and his 
intention good. He meant thereby to honor bis 



234 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES* 

Lord ; but Satan's acknowledgment was either 
the effect of constraint, or done with a design to 
sink the Savior's reputation. See Matt. xvi. 16 ; 
Luke, iv. 41. 

Hence it appears, that the criminal conduct of 
creatures is the effect of their choice ; sinful actions 
are voluntary and free. Therefore no man will be 
found more sinful than he chose to be ; and if any 
actions are punishable or commendable, it must be 
those which were voluntarily performed ; and con- 
sequently the strength of a propensity to evil, or a 
moral inability to do good, cannot properly be 
pleaded in favor of sinners, or as an extenuation 
of guilt. But, 

2. Every apology in favor of delinquents, 
founded on moral inability, is not only absolutely 
inadmissible according to every rule of equity, but 
has a direct tendency to confirm the charge of 
culpability, and to rivet the fetters of guilt. Men 
are naturally disposed to cover their transgressions, 
as Adam; (Job, xxxi. 33: Gen. iii. 12,) and fix the 
charge of blame elsewhere ; and through confound- 
ing or blending the idea of what is moral, with 
what \s natural, they endeavoui* to keep their con- 
sciences easy in sin, from such-like excuses as the 
following : 

" If men's propensity to evil be such as that 
they cannot love and obey God without being 
created anew in Christ Jesus, they are rather the 
objects of pity than of blame; therefore we ought 
not tc be condemned for what we cannot help." 



ERRORS OP fJlSE RELIGIONISTS. 235 

To make this soothing inference consistent, 
these words ought to be added ; i, e, if we would. 
Then it would be a good plea in favor of involun- 
tary actions, or natural inability; for none are 
condemned for not doing what they could not 
possibly perform if they would ; but as it respects 
moral inability, it is just the reverse ; for the 
prevalency of inclination, or strength of propensity 
to good or evil, is the very thing from whence 
degrees in each proceed, and are inferred. Moral 
evil is that which God naturally and necessarily 
hates, and voluntarily abhors. His propensity to 
purity is infinite and invariable. He therefore 
takes no pleasure in our obedience to his own 
appointments when performed in a sinful manner ; 
he said to backslidden Israel, "Incense is an 
abomination to me ; the new moons and sab- 
baths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away 
with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting; 
your new moons and your appointed feasts my 
soul hateth ; they are a trouble to me, I am weary 
to bear them." Isaiah, i. lo, 14. As no man who 
is the subject of common sense will infer that^ 
because Jeiiovah has an infinite strong propensity 
to purity, and cannot but hate sin, therefore he is 
not glorious in holiness ,- or that because he cannot 
lie, cannot deny himself, therefore there is no need 
to resolve with David to praise his truth. Psalm 
Ixxi. fl2. Who then, with the least regard to, or 
possessingany share of reason, truth, and decency, 
can thus plead ? I am not very bad^ because I have a 
9jery great and constant aversion to what is good. 



236 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIESr 

If an intense love to sin, and hatred to holinesSy 
do constitute innocence, 6r freedom from blame ; 
those who are the greatest enemies to God and all 
righteousness, or most evidently belong to the 
children of the devil, are the least liable to 
punishment. 

If disinclination to duty does free a person 
from obligation to obedience, a slothful servant 
would have an unanswerable argument in favor 
of his conduct ; for he might say, (and no doubt 
could give a sufficient proof if necessary,) that he 
never loved work in his life, that he always had an 
aversion to hard labor, and cannot yet be re- 
conciled to it, being contrary to his inclination ; 
and that to which he ahvays found, as far as he 
can remember, an inward fixed reluctance. He 
might add. Sir, when I find work agreeable to me, 
I will attend to it: but till then, you cannot be sq^ 
unreasonable as to blame me, seeing we are taught 
to consider that, even in matters of religion, no- 
thing is duty further than there is a corresponding 
disposition. I love to look on, whilst others 
labor, and I hope you will allow me, without 
offence, to act according to my natural inclination. 
The haughty servant might likewise say. You will 
allow me, I hope sir, to do as I please, for I never did 
love control; I was always of an ambitious temper, 
and have even now a 5fro?ig' inclination andiw/cn^e 
desire after /lowor and authority » 1 wish you would, 
and therefore I cannot but hope you will, consider 
yourself, in future, as under my direction. Must 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 237 

the notorious thief be acquitted, because he has 
been long under the power of a strong inclination 
to injure his neighbors? or the murderer be 
deemed less guilty, because of his cruel disposition ? 
Were such a principle allowed, moral government 
would be overturned ; every one might do as he 
pleases without liability to punishment, especially 
those of the vilest dispositions. And if so, perhaps 
none would deserve less punishment than the 
devil. 

But it may be said, "Our aversion to God has 
been transmitted to us from our first parents ; and 
being born so, therefore we hope favor will be 
shown, as our personal guilt is thereby diminished." 
Were pity pleaded for, on account of natural 
inability, or a natural defect and affliction, attend- 
ing either our mental or bodily powers, the reason- 
ableness of the plea would readily be granted, 
and evidently appear. But sin is a moral defect, 
and cannot be committed contrary to a person's 
consent, or without a criminal inclination. The 
above extenuating plea is only a false gloss. Its 
genuine sense is the same as if a person should 
say, when indicted for high treason, " I am, it is 
true, deemed a traitor, but I hope it will be con- 
sidered as an extenuation of my crime, that I am 
the offspring and seed of evil doers ; my family in 
all their respective generations have been rebels 
against tlicir sovereign. I have therefore only 
acted as they have done who are ray progenitors. 
I hope I shall be favorably dealt with, as my dis- 



238 PRACTICAL DtFFICULTtES. 

loyalty (if it must be so termed) is a family disposi- 
tion. Besides, what I have done, arose from a 
rooted enmity in my heart to the king, his adher- 
ents, and government, for which I ought not to be 
censuredj as my ancestors always discovered, as 1 
have done, an inclination to overturn the constitu- 
tion ; and if possible to dethrone the sovereign, and 
bring him and all his children and subjects into 
perpetual contempt. And moreover, as my temper 
and disposition are such, I cannot submit to his 
au^^onfi/, nor be beholden lo his clemency; having 
a rivetted aversion in my heart to what he is, has, 
does, and says. If therefore my own enmity, or 
my father^ s, against the sovereign and h\s subjects 
have any influence to exculpate or diminish the 
charge of guilt, which doubtless ought to be allowed 
in my favor, I hope, according to the law of equity^ 
my punishment (if any be justly inflicted) will be 
very small." If it would be an affront to common 
sense, and contrary to every rule of equity amongst 
men to plead an exemption from punishment, on 
account of the dehnquent'sm/e disposition, or that 
of his ancestors, how awful then is the deception 
of those who apprehend they cannot be treated by 
God as criminals, because of moral inability, or the 
badness of their hearts. 

Besides, if the vileness of men's hearts, or their 
abominable dispositions, free them from blame, 
or secure them from punishment, they cannot ac- 
count them to be bad hearts, seeing their present 
peace and future hope depend upon them. They 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 239 

are not, it seems, injurious hearts, but extremely 
beneficial, providing they be but sufficiently vile. 
Such persons would not know how to go on in 
religion as they do — they could not sin without 
sorrow, hope without holiness, believe without evi- 
dence, and rejoice in a thing of nought ; but through 
the help of a bad heart. They do not think them 
deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked, 
and that for the badness of them they are account- 
able to God. They consider their base hearts, and 
vile dispositions, as their best friends, -which justify 
and sanctify their omissions of duty, and commis- 
sion of sins, as trifling. The gospel libertine, yea, 
the whole tribe of indolent, light, and trifling pro- 
fessors, seem to consider and use what they call 
their bad heart, as a dark room, or concealed 
warehouse, where they hope to hide their crimes, 
which, as fast as committed, are removed thither 
in expectation of never being found, or exposed to 
view, being secured by the lock of strong delusion 
under the care of carnal confidence, who carries 
the key of presumption, and is lord of all the 
lumber. 

But how very different are the declarations of 
God, who says, " The sacrifice of the uricked is abo- 
mination, HOW MUCH MORE, whcu he bringeth it 
with a WICKED mind"? Prov. xxi. 27. " He hath 
said in his heart, God hath forgotten ; he hideth his 
face ; he will never see it. Thou wilt not require 
it." See Psalm x. IJ— 15. "These things hast 
thou done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest that 



S40 > PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

I was altogether such a one as thyself; but I will 
reprove thee, and set them in order before thine 
eyes." Psalm 1. 21. "Yea, also the heart of 
the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in 
their heart, while they live, and after that they go 
to the dead." — "But know thou that for all these 
things God will bring thee into judgment." Eccl. 
ix. 3; chap. xi. 9. 

To conclude, 

It is hoped the above remarks may, through a 
Divine blessing, help entangled Christians, respect- 
ing the following important particulars: 

1. To behold and admire the equity and jus- 
tice of Jehovah's government, in requiring nothing 
above the capacity, or natural ability, of his crea- 
tures ; and yet continuing the equitable demand 
of perfect obedience, and not altering his law in 
the least, to suit the base dispositions of his 
rebellious subjects, which would have destroyed 
every idea of authority, and sunk the reputation 
of God. 

2. The necessity of the almighty operations of 
the Holy Spirit, in changing the bias and disposi- 
tions of men, by regenerating or creating them 
anew in Christ Jesus, and working in them to will 
and to do of his own good pleasure. For till the 
sinner's disposition be changed, till he be born 
again, and became a new creature, he can have 
no true love to God, no spiritual delight in his law, 
no approving views of Christ and his glorious 
gospel. And yet the change produced does not 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 241 

destroy the natural freedom of the human will; 
but he acts differently from choice to what he did 
before. 

3. By the distinction between natural and 
moral ability, sovereign grace is not only defen- 
sible against every artful attack, but it appears 
infinitely great and absolutely free. In every 
respect it is truly wonderful, because those who 
are saved were not only miserable, hut inexcusably 
criminal, and as such under the sentence of eter- 
nal death, from which there could not have been 
the least hope of deliverance had not grace pro- 
vided relief. If the several parts of the great 
salvation be surveyed, even from its rise to its final 
consummation, it will appear entirely of pure 
grace, infinite, unmerited compassion, and aston- 
ishing mercy, which could not be the case if moral 
death was not a blameable state. Those who 
want to see the subject of grace treated in a 
masterly manner, and set in a clear convincing 
light, I would recommend to their perusal a book, 
entitled The Reign of Grace^ by Mr. A. Booth, 
London. 

4. Thereby scriptural exhortations to repentance^ 
and faith appear quite consistent, which could 
never be defended if criminality arose from na- 
tural, and not moral inability. For in that case, 
it would be equally ridiculous to call sinners to 
repentance, as to exhort a blind man to repent 
of his continuance so long in darkness, and never 
beholding the surrounding beauties of creation ; 

W 



242 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES. 

and no less absurd than to attempt to convince 
the dead of the crime of indolence, for lying so 
long in the grave, when their help is so much 
needed both for work and war. While sin is 
viewed as consisting in a natural defect, or a de- 
ficiency in the natural powers, penitency can 
never appear reasonable and right. For a man to 
pretend to repent, when at the same time he 
considers his fault to lie in a natural defect, which 
he cannot possibly help, if he would, is like a deaf 
man considering himself as exceeding criminal 
because he did not hear to-day, but is resolved he 
will not be guilty of the like sin to-morrow. It 
indeed seems to suppose, or require, a very great 
defect in a man's understanding, to be able to con- 
clude, that such a repentance is what the Scrip- 
ture recommends, and the godly possess. But 
genuine repentance or sorrow for sin appears, 
from the consideration of voluntary depravity, 
rational, and every way fitting ; because duty is 
not at all proportioned to our moi^al inability, or 
less binding because of our disinclination to good. 

5. The doctrine of natural and moral ability 
IS calculated to afford and administer much en- 
couragement to seeking souls, and to comfort 
those who are really devoted to Christ ; for as 
none can come unto him but such whom the Fa- 
ther draws, therefore spiritual desires after Jesus^ 
and delight in religion, are evidences of a gracious 
change, holy dispensations, or a new heart. 

You whose gifts are small, and natural powers 



ERRORS or i'ALSE RELIGI05l!^TS* 243 

are weaic, be not distressed on those accounts ; 
for real grace is much superior to the best abili- 
ties and most brilliant parts. Therefore, rejoice, 
that the Lord hath shown you a more excellent 
way. Who hath despised the day of small things ? 
The profane world and proud professors may; 
but God will not. Those who love the Saviour, to 
whom his person, blood, and obedience, are 
precious, and his ways pleasant, and whose desire 
is to walk humbly with God in the paths of 
purity, though they frequently stumble, and are 
often discouraged, yea, though they fall, Tliey 
shall not utterly be cast down ; (Psal. xxxvii. 
24,) but shall hold on in their way, and grow 
stronger and stronger; (Job, xvii. 9.) For the 
strength and guide of Israel hath said, "The way- 
faring men, though fools, shall nor err." "They 
shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and 
sighing shall j3ee away." Isaiah, xxxv. 8, 10. 
Those who are not able to plead on God's behalf, 
but love to think upon his name, are precious in his 
sight. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in 
that day when I make up my jewels. Mai. iii. 16, 
17. Therefore fear not, worm Jacob. 

6. The strong believer, however enriched with 
gifts and grace, is thereby led to various humbling 
and profitable considerations. However great his 
natural abilities are, he is as much under a per- 
petual necessity to look to, and rely upon the Lord, 
for gracious influences, as those of the weakest 
capacity ; for a person may possess strong mental 



244 PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES, 

powers and be morally weak, Grace may be languid 
and low, where natural gifts are lively and strong. 

Whilst the Christian is the subject of sin, and 
a propensity to sin is felt, he will see the neces- 
sity of perpetual watchfulness, repentance, and 
prayer, and often cry, with holy Paul, O wretched 
man that I am! For though he is not under the 
sole dominion of sin, yet he feels and laments a 
criminal backwardness to good, and a proneness 
to evil. So that when he would do good, evil is 
present with him. He being the subject of two 
opposite dispositions, therefore he cannot do the 
things that he would. His resolutions are feeble, 
and his comforts fluctuate, because his affections 
are unstable, being sanctified but in part. Some- 
times they mount to heaven, and seem fixed on 
things above, but anon they drop down to earth 
and sense ; and then he complains, and prays as 
David did, saying, "JW?/ ^^^^ cleaveth to the dust, 
quicken thou, me." He feels and is assured, that 
without Christ he can do nothing; yet that inabi- 
lity of which he is sensible, he does not consider 
as an excuse for the neglect of duty or commission 
of sin. He does not bless himself that he has 
got a bad heart, where he may safely deposit his 
iniquities, and thereby keep his conscience calm. 

But the sin of his heart is the sorrow of his soul, 
and his perpetual plague. It is the object of his 
hatred, and the subject of his secret and unfeigned 
lamentation : because the good man is taught to 
consider moral defects as inexcusable faults. 



ERRORS OF FALSE RELIGIONISTS. 245 

He longs for heaven, because it is a place of 
purity where he shall be free from sin as well as 
from sorrow. While in the body, he considers 
himself neither ivhere nor as he would be ; there- 
fore his desire is to depart and be with Christ, 
which is far better. And as he which tesiifieth these 
things sailh, Surely I come quickly : his heart replies, 
"Amen, even so come. Lord Jesus.'' 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 



Mr, Robert Hall was born in 1728, April 
15th, old style, at a village called Black-Heddon, 
ID the parish of Stanniiigton, about twelve miles 
northwest of Xewcastle-upon-Tyne, in Northum- 
berland. His father, Mr, Christopher Hall, was a 
reputable farmer, as were his ancestors ; his 
grand-father, it is said, lived on the same farm, 
and was born in the same house, with his great- 
grand-son Roi>€rt. His father was a worthy, 
honest man, of the Episcopal persuasion, but his 
mother was a Prosbyterian. He hoped they were 
both possessed of true religion. His father died 
when he was between eleven and twelve years 
old, after whicli Robert was brought up with an 
uncle, at Kirkley, three miles east of Black- 
Heddon ; where he attended the Presbyterian 
meeting, but with little advantage, the minister 
being the most gross x\rminian he ever met with. 

However, the first year after he went there, 
being only twelve years old, he was brought under 
deep concern of soul. Hearing another youth, 
who was himself very profligate, repeat some 
awful things respecting the torments of hell, 
which he had heard " the parson say at church" 
a few days before, he was immediately, on this re- 
lation, seized with an overwhelming sense of guilt, 
and the misery of eternal banishment from God. 
From that day, self-abhorrence attended with 
black despair occupied bis mind continually ; often 



248 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 

accompanied with horrid temptations and blas- 
phemies which ought not to be uttered. He could 
see no way of escape from everlasting ruin, nor 
was any satisfactory method of salvation pointed 
out to him by the minister he then sat under. 
Thus he lived for months and years, as on the 
brink of hell, without a gleam of hope ; and so op- 
pressed with this constant burden, that he could 
scarcely think of any thing else, and hence often 
thought of himself that he had not common sense. 
JMear the beginning of this time, he met with a 
painful accident, by which he broke his arm and 
three ribs ; and before he was cured, being sent 
out into the harvest-field, on a young horse, with 
his arm in a sling, and riding near a place where 
they were felling some trees, the sound of the axe 
affrighted his horse, which ran away with him^ 
and threw him among the fallen branches. By 
this fall his arnj was broken again, with his other 
arm and collar bone, and his shoulder put out. 
But he has repeatedly declared, that all the pain 
of these broken bones did by no means equal the 
anguish of his mind. The dolefrd sound of 'dam- 
nation, damnation,' seemed conlinnally in his ears* 
He apprehended that his sins were unpardonable, 
and that God could not save him if he would. He 
reall^f thought God must be reproached as an. 
unholy Being, if he shewed favor to such a sinner ; 
and, therefore, he concluded it was a sin for him 
to desire salvation. During this long season of 
distress, he had some paroxysnis of anguish still 
more violent than what he felt in gereral, with 
now and then a little occasional relief. And one 
time having imbibed a notion, some how or other, 
that it was impossible for him to obtain acceptance 
with God, and to be finally saved, except he ar- 
rived at a stale of sinless perfection, he strove 
very hard for it. In order to bind himself more 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. MD 

effectually to duty, he entered into a written cove- 
nant with God ; this he did, it is thought, more 
than once. However, he always broke in upon 
his engagements, and was convinced that he had 
sinned again. He was much concerned about 
this, and the notion still continuing that he must 
either arrive at sinless perfection or perish, he 
concluded, as the last expedient of which he could 
think, that he would enter into a covenant with 
God written with his own hlood ; and he actually 
tied a ligature round his finger, pricked it, pro- 
cured blood for that purpose, and gave himself up 
to God to be ruined to eternity if he ever sinned 
again. The form of the covenant is not known, 
but the tenor of it was never to sin again while he 
lived. For two or three days he thought he kept 
it, but after that he was convinced he had sinned 
again. Then he thought it was all over with him, 
and he concluded that he must be danjned. But 
he had very hard thoughts of God for making the 
conditions of salvation so hard ; and as he expec- 
ted that he must certainly perish, he thought with 
himself whether it would not be a negative benefit 
to him were he to put an end to his life imme- 
diately. He knew that suicide was a great crime, 
but he concluded that if he lived a few years, the 
number of sins he should commit, in that time, 
would more than equal the guilt of self-murder: 
he therefore resolved, as the best thing he could 
do upon the whole, to destroy himself. One day, 
when he was at home at his father's house, he 
made preparation to execute the horrid design ; 
but before he did it, he resolved that he would 
take his last leave of the Bible ; for, as he has said 
several times to Lis brethren in r'le ministry when 
he has related this story, nothi- l,^ grieved him so 
much when he thought of put' ii£r an end to his 
life as this, I shall never see the Bible any more. 



250 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 

He accordingly took his Bible, not having his 
mind any more upon one passage than another; 
he opened it, and the first words that met his ob- 
servation were these. Come now, and let us reason 
together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as 
scarlet, they shall he as ivhite as snow ; though they 
be red like crimson, they shall be as wool ; Isa. i. 18. 
This passage afforded him a gleam of hope, and 
he desisted from the shocking purpose, though the 
habitual gloom of his mind soon returned again in 
a great degree, and he obtained no abiding relief, 
nor clear discovery of the gospel method of^ salva- 
tion. But a considerable time after this, he took 
up the Bible, and read in Exod. xxxiv. how Je- 
hovah proclaimed his name before Moses, " The 
LiOKB,the Lord God, mercijul and gracious, &c. 

FORGIVING IJVIQUITY, TRANSGRESSION, and SIN, and 
that WILL BY NO MEANS CLEAR THE GUILTY," &C. 

But instead of finding any relief from this encour- 
aging passage, he was tempted to throw away his 
Bible as containing irreconcilable inconsistencies, 
in declaring that God would forgive iniquity, trans- 
gression and sin, while yet it asserts that He will 
by no means clear the guilty. But at length, after 
continuing in this state of distress and despondency 
full seven years, he obtained relief by a believing 
view of the Gospel method of salvation. This he 
had never heard stated by another, but one day, 
resolving to look once more into the Bible, if 
possibly it might discover to hiui any door of hope, 
he cast his eye on Gal. iv. 4, 5. God sent forth his 
Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to 

REDEEM THEM that WERE UNDER THE LAW, &C. 

Immediately a new train of thought struck his 
mind, " Christ was made under the law, — then he 
was not under it originally ; — for what end was he 
made under the law? — to redeem them that were 
under the law : — were under the law ! — then they 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 251 

are not under the law now, but redeemed. There is, 
therefore, a way of redemption for sinners from 
the curse of the law, by which it is possible even I 
may be saved ! — Being thus enlightened to see 
that God could save him, if he pleased, without 
debasing his own perfections, the bare possibility 
of salvation, in a way consistent with the divine 
glory, made his heart glad indeed. He now began 
to search the Scriptures for further discoveries of 
this glorious gospel: and having once got hold of 
the right clue, he read them as it were with new 
eyes. The difficulty was now solved, which had 
once tempted him to burn the Bible ; he under- 
stood how God could forgive sin, and yet not clear 
the guilty. Soon after this, his own salvation 
began to appear not only possible, but probable, 
and at length certain. This was in May, 1748. 
He now was convinced, and rejoiced that salvation 
was of GRACE indeed, and abhorred the Arminian 
sentiments, which had so long held him in dread- 
ful bondage. He remarked long after to a friend, 
"perhaps I should never have detested that sys- 
tem as I do, had I not once drank into it, and felt 
its effects." On this account he left the minister 
upon whom he formerly attended, and travelled 
five miles to another Pre^&i/fenan meeting, where 
the gospel was preached, and joined in commun- 
ion with that people. The minister at this place 
was a Mr. Dryden, who had a ^^w young men 
under his care designed for the ministry. Mr. 
Hall contracted a peculiar intimacy with two of 
these students, Mr. James Rutherford and Mr. 
William Peden. 

About this time there began to be a great noise 
in those parts, respecting the Anabaptists, as they 
were styled, who had licensed a house for preach- 
ing, about twelve miles off. Mr. Hall's mother 
having married again, her eldest son Christopher 



252 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 

left her, and went to reside in the county of Dur- 
ham. And now Robert heard that his brother 
Christopher had joined these Anabaptists at Hams- 
terley ; he abhorred the very name, and did not 
like to hear his brother mentioned, because he was 
one of them, and had married a sister of the man 
at whose house they had set up preaching, five 
miles from Hexham. At last, however, he agreed 
with his two friends, Rutherford and Peden, to go 
and dispute with the Anabaptist minister, that, if 
possible, they might put a stop to his farther pro- 
gress in that neighborhood. Accordingly under 
color of Mr. Robert Hall's visiting his new relation, 
they went together to the place, called Juniper- 
dye-house, on a Saturday evening, when they 
knew that the minister, Mr. David Fernie, would 
be there, ready to preach on the morrow. They 
were all three kindly entertained, and, according 
to their eager wish, soon got into a close dispute 
upon baptism. They were three to one ; never- 
theless, in about two hours, the young men were 
all entangled and ashamed. They then went out, 
laid their heads together to muster up fresh argu- 
ments, and returned to the company and renewed 
the debate : but to their great mortification, were 
again quite silenced, though not convinced. It 
had been their design to have stopped and heard 
Mr. Fernie on the njorrow, but the two students 
were so chagrined that they would not stay, but 
set off homeward. After this repulse, they all 
three met frequently, to fortify themselves for a 
future attack, being resolved not to give up the 
point, but to go again when prepared. But they 
were disappointed in their purpose of going to- 
gether, for Mr. Dryden soon after gave up his 
academy, and that scattered them. However, Mr. 
R. Hall determined he would go once more, and 
try what he could do by himself. Accordingly, he 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 253^ 

got what books he could against the Baptists, in- 
lending to confront Mr. Fernie with arguments 
from them. But upon thinking w^hat Mr. F. might 
possibly urge in reply to these arguments, he 
found none of them would stand : so that by 
searching the Scri[)tures upon the subject, and 
reading Wilson's Scripture Manual, which fell 
into his hands, he was convinced of believer's 
baptism, without any more dispute. The next 
time that he saw Mr. F. he was baptized by him, 
January 5, 1752, at Juniper-dye-house aforemen- 
tioned, and received into the little church at Hex- 
ham : it was then a branch of a larger church, 
whose principal meeting-place was in the county 
of Durham, where the minister then resided, but 
visited this place once a month ; another branch 
of his church met at Marten, in Yorkshire, a few 
miles south of Stockton-upon-Tees. 

The church conceiving that Mr. Hall was pos- 
sessed of ministerial talents, urged him immedi- 
ately to attempt expounding the Scriptures ; and 
by their persuasion he made a trial privately, 
before the members of the church, and founded 
his discourse on the same text that he left for his 
funeral, ^^ It is finished J^'' He has often said, he 
began where he shoiild have left off, and that if he 
knew which should be his last sermon, he would 
preach it from those words. After five or six 
months trial by the church, Mr. Hall w'as solemnly 
called out, by them, to public work, about June, 
1752. He was then twenty-four years of age. 

It is here needful to remark, that a serious good 
man from Lutterworth, who had been at Carlisle, 
in the duke of Cumberland's army, had there con- 
tracted an acquaintance with Mr. Hall's eldest 
brother Christopher, who had been some time in 
the ministry, and was then assistant to an aged 
minister at Broughton, in Cumberland. After the 



254 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 

rebellion was suppressed, and this good nrjan had 
returned home, he was the instrument of Mr. C* 
Hall's being known to the people at Arnsby. Mr* 
C. Hall was applied to, and he spent two Sabbaths 
with them, in the latter part of the summer, 1752. 
And the people persuaded him to engage, that if 
no particular hindrance arose, he would visit them 
again in the spring. He had fixed to spend the 
ensuing winter at Whvtehaven, where he had kept 
an occasional lecture: and by the spring a people 
were gathered there, who entered into a church 
state, over whom Mr. C. Hall was ordained pastor 
in April. Therefore early in the spring Mr. C. 
Hall sent information to Arnsby, that he could not 
leave his new-raised society, but that he had a 
younger brother, newly called out to the ministry, 
who was at liberty. They repeatedly desired him 
to send his brother. Mr. Robert Hall had then in 
view a place in Yorkshire. But, by his brother's 
advice, he went first to Arnsby. When he came 
there, he soon found his heart cleaving to the 
people, and was favored with more liberty in 
preaching than had been common with him be- 
fore. They were a poor, plain people, but Mr. 
Hall's low opinion of himself, made him really 
think himself " unfit to preach to any other but 
such." They pressed him much to abide w^th 
them, and his mind being greatly fixed on God's 
promise to Moses, My presence shall go with thee, 
he was encouraged to venture, and complied with 
their request, in June, 1753. 

When Mr. Hall came to Arnsby first, the church 
and congregation being small and very poor, never 
raised him so much as £15 a year: "nor, indeed," 
said Mr, Hall, " for several years after, and 
my family increased fast, having had fourteen 
children in all. But I found my heart so united 
to the people, that I never durst leave them, 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 255 

though T often thought I must. I trust the Lord 
was with us of a truth, and the fifth chapter of the 
first epistle of Peter was habitually impressed on 
rny mind. It appearing pretty clear to myself and 
my wife, that we were where God would have us 
to be ; this sense of duty, and a willingness to live 
honestly, made us resolve in the strength of the 
Lord, that we would not run into debt, let us live as 
hardly as we might: which resolution he enabled 
us to keep But many and unknown difficulties 
we grappled with : However, I am thankful I 
have been enabled to continue with the people to 
this day, of whom I can say with truth, I love 
them in the Lord."* 

Mr. Hall's first wife was Jane Catchaside, the 
daughter of very creditable parents, Robert and 
Mary Catchaside; born at Proud-Hall, April 15, 
1729, and married July 18, 1751, who died Dec. 
21, 1776. She was a great encourager of her hus- 

^ Soon after his settlement at Arnsby, the doubts of 
his call and qualifications beset him ; and on a Monday, 
he desired his wife to go to the people, and desire they 
would provide a supply for the next Sabbath, as he could 
not preach. She refused, and said, Try what the Lord 
will do for you. On the Saturday, he repeated the re- 
quest to her; and she denied, saying, Stay till to-morrow, 
and if they must be told so, go and tell them yourself, 
for I cannot. He went ; and after telling his dismal 
ditty to the people, an old father said, Sir, go up into the 
pulpit and pray ; and if you find your mind set at liberty, 
proceed in preaching; if otherwise, come down and 
we'll spend the time in prayer : for I trust you are with 
a sympathizing people. He went to prayer, and soon 
found his soul at perfect liberty, by the letting in of 
those words. Come, for all things are now ready. Al- 
most every member present expressed the greatest satis- 
faction, and the preacher said, he found so great a ful- 
ness in the words, that he thought he saw matter enough 
in them to serve him to preach from as long as he lived. 



256 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 

band, under the trials they encountered, when 
they first came to Arnsby, being naturally of a 
cheerful, active disposition, and favored with great 
spiritual enjoyments and consolations. For above 
twenty years she lived generally in an assured 
persuasion of the love of God ; but for four years 
before her death, she underwent such sore afflic- 
tions of body and mind, as have seldom been 
equalled ; yet died at last in a most triumphant 
manner. A brief account of the occasion, continu- 
ance, and joyful conclusion of these sore conflicts, 
was published soon after her death, under the title 
of Mercy Manifested ; in a letter from Mr. Hall to 
a friend ; which went through two editions in 
1777. Under this affliction his supports and con- 
solations were such, and his faith and patience so 
exemplary, as to fill all his friends with astonish- 
ment. 

Mr. Hall was justly and highly prized by his 
brethren in the ministry, especially those who be- 
longed to the Baptist Association, (consisting 
principally of churches in Leicestershire and 
Northamptonshire,) which he was greatly instru- 
rhental in forming. And several of their annual 
letters, on the most important articles, were writ- 
ten by this excellent man. None of them have 
been more deservedly esteemed than that which 
he wrote in the midst of his most heavy affliction, 
viz. in the year 1776, upon the Doctrine of the 
Trinity. The letter being much approved by 
many of different denominations, a second edition 
was called for, and printed on a larger type, to 
which, by the desire of Mr. Ryland, Jr. he an- 
nexed, Some Thoughts on the causes of Salvation 
and Damnation^ in answer to Mr. Fletcher, of 
Madely. 

In the year 1779, at the Association at North- 
ampton, Mr. Hall delivered a discourse from Isa. 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 257 

Ivii. 14. Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, 
take up the stumhling-hlock out of the way of my 
people. Tins sermon he was earnestly desired to 
print, with such circiinnstaniial alterations or en- 
largements as he might judge proper. It was pub- 
lished by subscription in 1781, under the title of 
Help to Zio?f's Travellers: Being an attempt 
to remove various Stumhllng-blocks out of the way, 
relating to Doctrinal, Experimental and Practical 
Religion. This little volume, which principally 
contains a vindication Of the genuine doctrines of 
grace, from the objections of Socinians, Sabellians, 
Arminians, and Antinomians, has met with con- 
siderable approbation, from godly, judicious, and 
learned men of various denominations. 

Mr. Hall was married to a second wife, on June 
21, 1780, viz. Mrs. Elizabeth Swan, the relict of 
Mr. Swan of Northampton. Her maiden name 
was Woodcock, and she was a native of Hinckley. 
Mr. H. ever expressed great thankfulness for this 
connexion ; she proved a tender and useful nurse, 
as well as sympathizing friend, in all his latter 
afflictions. 

In December, 1783, he had a very narrow es- 
cape from being smothered in the snow ; of which 
he gave a very affecting account, in a letter dated 
January 15, 1784, and then closed it with these 

sweet lines: " Since I saw you, I have 

had more pleasure in my work, than has been 
common with me. Indeed (but I beg you not to 
mention a word of it to any one,) I have had the 
most blessed half year in my soul, that I remem- 
ber ever to have enjoyed. The approach of Sab- 
baths has been pleasurable to me ; my work a 
sweet reward; and the worship of God in general 
attended with meltings of heart, and solemn joy. 
I have thought, though a poor creature as ever 
crawled, yet I would not, on the whole, if I could, 

X 



% 

258 LIFE OP THE AUTHOR. 

exchange ray relative connexion with Christ, and 
consequential state, with an angel. Yet I tremhle 
while I thus speak. I would not vaunt, and 1 
dread desertion : but I make free with you, and 
entreat you to regard the prohibition above. I am, 
dear brother, yours in love and affection, sincere 
and fervent, RohL HalV^ 

In the beginning of 1788, his valuable life 
seemed twice exposed to imminent danger, from 
very trivial accidents. First, by a slight prick in 
his finger brought on a mortification, which was 
stopped with difficulty, and the loss of its first 
joint. A few months afterwards he seemed in 
equal danger from a slight friction in another 
part, which for several weeks caused an alarming 
inflammation on the right side of his head, about 
the temples, and behind the ear. Nor was he 
sufficiently recovered by the Association, May 27, 
to be able to attend it, though held so near as 
Kettering: but he sent the circular letter, which 
he had been desired to draw up, and which was 
approved and ordered for the press. This letter 
principally treated on the evil of sin, and the dig- 
nity of Christ; and was meant to fortify the 
churches against every temptation to desert the 
doctrines of ChrisVs infinite dignity and invaluable 
atonement. These principles occupied a first place 
in his heart ; they were his daily bread ; it was 
under their influence that he ripened so much as 
be did in humility, heavenly-mindedness, and joy 
in God. The dear and adorable Redeemer, as he 
used to express himself, was his life in this world, 
and his hope for that to come. 

When this letter was printed, his absence and 
illness was notified to the churches, and their 
prayers desired for his valuable life : and God 
granted that which they requested for near three 
years longer. The Association at Spalding, in 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 259 

1783, was too distant for him to attend, but his 
letter on Communion with God, was that year 
printed, which proved the last of his remains from 
the press. But in 1790, he attended the Associa- 
tion at Ohiey, where he preached from Acts xx. 
24. But none of these things move me, neither 
count I my life dear unto myself so that I might 
finish my course with joy^ and the ministry which I 
have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of 
the grace of God, This was the last time he was 
employed on a public occasion in his own con- 
nexion. 

Mean while his spasms, or fits of the cramp, re- 
turned frequently, and often with great violence 
In his last letter to his son-in-law^, Mr. Isaac James, 
of Bristol, dated February 4, 1791, he writes thus. 
"In point of health, when my fits are off, I am as 
well almost a« I could wish; and as to my state 
generally, rather happy in my mind. The gospel 
bears my spirits up, a faithful and unchanging Gody 
lays the foundation of my hope, in oaths, and prom- 
ises, and blood. This verse often is, and long has 
been precious to me. I have you all more iu 
remembrance than ever. May the Lord say to 
each. Thou shall not be forgotten ofme,^^ 

F<3bruary 17, 1791, he wrote to his old and inti- 
mate friend, Mr. Evans, of Northampton. The 
following remarkable passages, 1 have extracted 
from that letter. "As to myself, as I write to 
a dear friend, I may use a little freedom. You 
know I liave had many things to crush my nat- 
ural spirits, and often think, perhaps it is well 
for me they were broken down in early life. I 
have long groaned, being burdened, till a low, 
timorous, pensive frame of mind, became habitual: 
what you say of your usefulness, affects me to 
tears. I hope the Lord has made me useful, (and 
so he has you) but that never was to me a suffi 



260 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 



cient proof of his approbation. He will call, com- 
fort, and nourish his own, though the instrument be 
only a nurse for a time, yea, worse, a black unclean 
raven. Many and many a day and year have I 
spent habitually bemoaning myself, surely I am 
more brutish than any man, &c. 1 have often 
dreaded and hung back from the Lord's work, 
perhaps to the dishonor of his name and the dis- 
couragement of my friends, particularly young 
ministers ; which 1 lament now, as such opportuni- 
ties ar6 over with me. Yet the Lord has been 
ever kind to timorous, distrustful, ungrateful me. 
I have always dreaded long life, having a shattered 
memory at best, and apprehending that under 
natural decays, I siiould be useless indeed ; nay, 
worse, a cumberer of the ground. But, dear 
brother, I mention it for your encouragement, 
though I dread saying too much, or that you 
should think I am more favored than I really am ; 
yet, I say, I may venture to mention to you, that 
hitherto my fears have not been verified. 1 trust 
the Lord is with me rather more than heretofore ; 
and the word seems blest to some, if not to many. 
We are well attended, in bad weather excepted ; 
and at evening meetings still more and njore. 
But sometimes I preach with much difficulty, and 
the Lord's day was fortnight did not at all, having 
a fit on me from morning to night. I have n)any 
that are soon got off, but several ])ave baffled all 
means of late; at least for a long time. The few 
last have been very different from what they used 
to be. My head has not been afiected, nor breast 
in much pain : but I have been very sick, and in- 
clined to swoonings. 1 have been generally very 
happy in my mind. Last Lord's day night had a 
very severe fit, though but of four hours continu- 
ance. They called my son John out of bed- I 
was happy beyond expression in my mind. It 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 261 

>vas a night of sorrow deluged with joy. What 
my dear wife and son, &c. feared, that I in a 
measure longed for. I say in a measure, because, 
though greatly afflicted, yet my comforts were so 
much superior, that I thought, and said, I cared 
not how long I lived, though I had fits every day, 
if the Lord continued me his heart-melting, heart- 
strengthening presence. I had general pain all 
over, but 1 could not forbear saying. Pain was 
pleasant, and sickness sweet, when the Lord is 
near. I thought of you, brother Ryland, &c. with 
great delight; and that if the Lord spared me, I 
would write a few lines on God's behalf, viz. to 
request you not to dread any thing but sin. I am 
sure the Lord can make you most happy, when 
afflictions are most heavy. He has really done so 
to me, poor me ; and if so, can you distrust ? One 
time (a while ago) those words. Fear not, worm 
Jacob, &c. were so much to me, that I told the 
Lord it was enough, I wished, I wanted no more. 
But last Lord's day night my cup ran over. O 
take care, dear brother, and never dishonor God, 
as I have done, by slavishly dreading old age, sore 
diseases, devils, or death. But here it becomes 
me to stop ; I am yet in the body, having an evil 
heart ; I know not how I may be yet, 1 therefore 
almost repent I have written what I have. How- 
ever, I must and will say, truly the Lord is good, 
and if HE be with me, I will fear none evil, &c. 

'' After all, I know not the day of my death. 
The Lord may spare me to drag on for years. 
But none of these things move me, so that I may, 
be when it will, finish my course with joy." 

Mr. Hall had been going through the Epistle to 
the Hebrews in an expository lecture on the 
Lord's day evening ; the last lecture was upon 
Heb. vi. 12. That ye he not slothful, hut followers oj 
them, who through faith and patience inherit the 
promises. 



262 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 

On the Lord's Hay wherein he was taken to 
rest, he appeared very well in tlie morning, and 
went into the meeting at the usual time, and 
preached from John iv. 10. If thou hiewest the gift 
of God, and who it is that saith unto thee, Give me 
to drink ; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he 
would have given thee living water. It was a 
pleasing circumstance to some, that this suhject 
led him to mention, what they had never been 
told before, the first text he preached from at 
Arnsby, which was in Prov. xxv. 25. Jls cold 
waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far 
country. Many thought that he spoke with un- 
common vigor, beyond what they remembered for 
many years. He gave out at the close, 168th 
Hymn of Rippon's Selection.^ The fountain of 
Christ, Lord help us to sing, &c. He afterwards 
ate his dinner as usual, and then lay down for a 
while, and slept soundly. About five he arose, 
as well, or rather better than usual. About six 
o'clock he retired into the little parlor, and staid 
about half an hour; when he came out again, 
Mrs. Hall first perceived him to be indisposed. 
He asked for some camomile tea, being very sick, 
and complained of a violent pain in his breast, 
though his sickness rather abated. A friend 
coming in to see how he did, he seemed at first 
not dis})osed to say much, but wished him good 
night, when he was going away; and presently, 
as if he suddenly recollected himself, be called 
him back, and said, " Friend Looms, fear nothing : 
do not be afraid of trouble, trials, nor even death ; 



* This Selection of Hymns, intended to be an Appen- 
dix to Dr. Watts' Hymns and Psalms, was very early 
indebted to Mr. Hall's patronage. Several verbal alter- 
ations suggested by his critical acumen have been 
adopted in the 4th edition by the Editor. 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 263 

if the Lord is but with you, you will do." This he 
said, in a very animated manner, and with a cheer- 
ful tone of voice, and then wished him good night 
again. To two others of his people he signified 
that he was not much inclined to try fresh medi- 
cines, "But," added he, "I have not lived so long 
in the world as to be weary of it, nor am I afraid 
to die. I don't care whether I live or die." About 
eight o'clock he wished to go into the little par- 
lor. Mrs. Hall took the candle to go before and 
light him, and his friends. Palmer and Vice, took 
hold of him as he got up, to lead him along more 
safely; when he said, ^' I shall swoon ;^^ and sunk 
down to the ground, and expired without a groan 
or struggle. 

On the Thursday afternoon following, his re- 
mains were committed to the grave ; at which an 
oration was made by Mr. Fuller; the funeral 
sermon was preached by Mr. Ryland, junior, in 
the yard, which adjoins both to the meeting and 
dwelling-house, (the concourse of people being too 
great to be contained in the place of worship,) 
from the text mentioned before, " It is finished." 

A letter from a friend, who had been intimately 
acquainted with Mr. Hall for many years, contain- 
ing a just delineation of his character, is inserted 
more for the imitation of the living, than for the 
honoring of the dead ; those who were most inti- 
mately acquainted with him, will avouch it to con- 
tain the words of truth and soberness. 

"The distinguished talents of our dear deceased 
friend, will long live in the remembrance of all 
who knew him. His advantages of education 
were extremely small, but possessing from his 
infancy a contemplative cast of mind, and a 
habit of patient thinking, he laid in a large stock 
of useful knowledge. In the character of a minis- 
ter of the gospel, there have been but few more 



264 LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.. 

generally esteemed. Attentive only to the im* 
provement of his hearers, he forgot himself, and 
appeared entirely absorbed in his subject. Though 
he was unacquainted with tlie graces of oratory, 
and the embellishments of language, scarce any 
man spoke with a more striking and visible effect. 
From nature he derived a l»rge share of sensi- 
bility, and as he excelled at the same time in 
taking a [>rofound and comprehensive view of a 
subject, the understanding and affections of his 
hearers were equally interested in his discourses, 
which generally flovved in a stream of argument 
and pathos. From a natural diffidence of temper, 
heightened by a consciousness of his w^ant of edu- 
cation, he often ascended the pulpit with tremor; 
but as soon as this subsided, he generally led his 
hearers, step by step, into a large field of serious 
and manly thinking, kindled as he advanced, and 
expatiated with increasing energy and conviction 
till the subject was exhausted. His eminent piety 
lent a peculiar unction to the sentiments he de- 
livered, led him to seize the most interesting 
views of every subject, and turned topics, which 
in the hands of others would have furnished bar- 
ren speculation only, into materials for devotion 
and prayer. He appeared to the greatest advan- 
tage upon subjects where the faculties of most 
men fail them, for the natural element of his mind 
was greatness. At times he seemed to labor with 
conceptions too big for his utterance, and if any 
obscurity ever pervaded his discourses it must be 
traced to this source, the disproportion of his lan- 
guage to the vastness of his conceptions. He had 
great force, without ornament, and grandeur with- 
out correctness. His ministry in the hands of 
God was effectual to the conversion of great num- 
bers ; and in this particular he was distinguished 
in a manner not very common, for the last years 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 965 

of his life were the most successful. But it was 
not only in the pulpit that he shone, in his pri- 
vate sphere of action as a Christian, his virtues 
were not less distinguished than his talents as a 
minister. Deep devotion and unaffected humility 
entered far into this part of his character. Few 
men have passed through greater vicissitudes of 
life than the deceased, and perhaps in each of 
them no man preserved with a more inviolable 
consistency the character of a Christian. He was 
very early introduced into the school of affliction, 
and the greater part of his subsequent life was dis- 
tinguished by an uncommon succession of trials 
and distresses. On his first entrance on the min- 
istry his fortitude was exercised in a scene of per- 
secutions and reproaches, which lasted for many 
years; his worldly prospects at the same time 
were gloomy and precarious in a high degree ; he 
had a very numerous family, and an income ex- 
tremely limited. He united great susceptibility of 
heart with firmness of mind, and endowed with 
these dispositions, he met reproaches with gen- 
tleness, sustained adversity with fortitude, and 
pains and sorrows of various kinds with exem- 
plary patience. In the habitual frame of his spirit 
he walked ivith God, The consolations that sup- 
ported him through life awaited him at death, for 
so tranquil were his last moments, so completely 
was he reconciled to the prospects of both worlds, 
that he declared a little time before he expired, he 
would not give a straw to live or die. From his 
first acquaintance with religion, to the close of his 
life, he was never known to express the least 
hesitation respecting his state, but enjoyed an un- 
interrupted assurance of a happy immortality. 
His conversation breathed so much of heaven, 
was so tinctured with the very spirit of religion, 
that none could enjoy it without an opportunity of 

Y 



266 



LIFE or THE AUTHOR. 



being made better. It was evident to all who 
knew him, that his religion was not a transient 
impression, but a permanent principle, that it 
blended itself with all his feelings and his actions, 
and that it raised his thoughts, his views, and bis 
passions towards heaven. 

In the first j^ears of his ministry, he encountered, 
as hath already been remarked, much persecution 
and reproach ; but at length his exemplary con- 
duct dissipated these prejudices, and gained him 
so completely the esteem of all classes of mankind^ 
that it may be doubted whether he had an enemy 
in the world ; for certain he had none but those 
whom his piety might make such. He was dis- 
tinguished as a lover of peace, and as anxious to 
heal breaches as he was cautious to avoid them. 
With some, his extreme solicitude for the propa- 
gation of evangelical sentiments might seem like 
bigotry ; but they who knew him best were well 
convinced that this was no part of his character, 
and that he regarded sentiments in no other light, 
nor cherished them in any higher degree, than as 
he conceived them favorable to the interests of 
holiness and virtue. 

His brethren in the ministry will long and 
deeply lament him ; for to them his talents and 
dispositions peculiarly endeared him. How many 
private circles hath he cheered and enlivened by 
his presence! In how many public solemnities 
hath he lifted up an ensign to the people, invited 
them to the standard of the cross, and warmed 
and exalted their affections, whilst "his doctrine 
dropped as the rain, and his speech distilled as the 
dew." Great abilities are often allied to pride, but 
the character of the deceased was an illustrious 
exception to this rule. His talents and virtues 
were in some measure concealed from the world,, 
and almost entirely from himself, by a veil of the 



LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 267 

most unaffected modesty. He was never so happy 
as when he was permitted to sit in the shade, 
though the hi^h opinion entertained of his abih- 
ties seldom allowed him that indulgence. It 
would be difficult to conceive a human mind more 
completely purged from the leaven of pride or of 
envy, than was that of our deceased friend. In 
this particular his magnanimity was so great, that 
he seemed, on all occasions, desirous of sinking 
the recollection of himself in the reputation and 
applause of his cotemporaries. To cultivate the 
seeds of reflection and improvement in the minds 
of his inferiors, to behold the growing talents 
and virtues of his brethren, to draw merit from its 
obscurity and give confidence to timid worth, 
formed some of the highest satisfactions of his life. 
His temper was grave and contemplative, yet 
few men took greater delight in Christian society, 
and on these occasions he seldom failed to mix 
with serious converse a vein of pleasantry and 
humor in which he greatly excelled. From his 
integrity and knowledge it may be inferred he was 
eminently skilled for imparting advice, yet so 
carefully did he shun every inclination to dictate, 
that he scarce ever gave it unsolicited. His sen- 
timents, when required, he imparted with tender- 
ness and freedom, but he never made advice a 
disguise for arrogance, or an engine of rule, nor 
ever presumed to think himself affronted if his 
counsels were not followed. In his whole de- 
portment, prudence and humility was conspicu- 
ous ; a prudence, however, that were candid and 
manly, as far removed from art, as his humility 
was from meanness. He had failings, no doubt, 
(for who is free?) But they were scarcely ever 
suffered to influence his conduct, or to throw 
even a transient shade over the splendor of his 
cliaracter. Upon the whole, if a strong and pene- 



4bO LIFE OP THE AUTHOR. 

trating genius, simplicity of manners, integrity of 
heart, fidelity in friendship, and all these virtues 
consecrated by a piety the most ardent and sincere 
on the high altar of devotion, have any claim to 
respect, the memory of the deceased will long be 
cherished with tears of admiration and regret by 
those who knew him." 

He died on March 13, 1791, in the 63d year of 
his age. 



£^g)®lg. 



PART I. 
DOCTRINAL DIFFICULTIES. 

CHAPTER I. 

Page. 

Artful Objections to Christ's Divinity, - - 29 

1. From his Inferiority to the Father, - - ib. 

2. Perversion of Terms used on this Head, - 34 

3. Pre- existence of Christ's Human Soul, - 38 

4. Excluding the Body from being a constituent 

Part of Man, 41 

CHAPTER II. 

Difficulties concerning the Love of God, - - 46 

1. Necessary hatred to Sin not inconsistent with 

sovereign love to Persons, - - - 53 

2. The Objects of God's natural Love may 

through Sin become the Objects of his holy 
Displeasure, 54 

3. Good Men not equally the Objects of God's 

natural Love, 57 

Inferences, 
(1.) The Damnation of such that kept not their 



270 INDEX. 

Page. 

First Estate, wherein they enjoyed Divine 

Approbation, not inconsistent with God*s 

Immutability, ..... 58 

(2.) Need of watchfulness against Sin, - - 59 

(3.) We are undone without sovereign Grace, ib. 

(4.) Opposition to divine Sovereignty lamentable, CO 

CHAPTER III. 

Dif!i<jultie3 concerning the Doctrine of Election y 61 

Election used in different Senses, - - ib. 

Reprobation not the negative of Election, 67 
(1.) Election not influenced on the appointment 

of any to Destruction, - - - - 78 

(2.) Nor injurious to those not included in it, 74 

(3.) Nor contrary to the moral Character of God, 75 

CHAPTER IV- 

Vrdon vnth Christ , ' - - - - - - 77 

Visible (79), vital (80), virtual - - 86 

CHAPTER V. 

Relation to God. By Adoption and Regeneration, 90 

CHAPTER VI. 

Difficulties obviated respecting the Atonement, - 96 

1. It supposes God was injured, - - - ib. 

2. Man justly obnoxious to Punishment, • 97 

3. Innocence of him who makes Atonement, 99 

4. Yet Equity seems to forbid the Punishment of 

the Innocent, 100 

5. The Substitute must be related to ihe Sinner, ib. 



INDEX 271 

Page. 

6. No Creature has power over his own Life, 101 

The Person of Christ answers all Difficulties, ib. 
The Necessity of the Atonement proved by 

Five Arguments, 106 

The Efficacy of Christ*s Atonement not de- 
pendent on mere arbitrary Appointment, 110 
Answer to the Objection from this Considera- 
tion, That Deity could not die, - - 112 



PART II. 

EXPERIMENTAL DIFFICULTIES. 

CHAPTER I. 

As to a Sinner's Warrant to apply to Christ, - 120 
(L) That it is not the Duty of the Unconverted 

to Pray, I2l 

(2.) That none can repent till they know that 

Christ died for them, - - - - 123 
(3.) That Faith is inseparably connected with 

knowledge of Personal Interest, - - 128 

Any poor Sinner welcome to Apply, - 129 

Nature of Faith, 133 

CHAPTER II. 

Stumbling-Blocks relative to the New Birth, - 143 

CHAPTER III. 

Relative to Spiritual Consolation, - - - 147 

CHAPTER IV. 

Sense of Internal Depravity, - - - - 153 



272 INDEX. 

Page 
CHAPTER V. 

IJinderances from wrong Views of Doctrines, - 155 

(1.) Doctrine of Imputation, - - - 156 

(2.) Efficacious Grace. 159 

(3.) Doctrine of Election, - - - - 160 

(4.) Doctrine of Redemption, - - - 164 

(5.) Perseverance, 169 

CHAPTER VI. 

Dark and afflictive Providences, - - , - 171 

(I.) Often mysterious, ib. 

(2.) Good men liable to mistake Providence, 172 

(3.) Designed for our trial, . - - . 174 
(4.) Occasion of perplexity through mistaking 

Promises, 176 

(5.) Failure of Promises supposed to be particu- 
larly applied, 178 ' 



PART III. 

PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES, 

CHAPTER I. 

1. Evil conduct of Professors (censorious) - 182 

2. Loose Professors, 183 

CHAPTER 11. 

The Enmity of the World ; or, the Cross and 

Persecution, 187 

CHAPTER III. 

Errors of false Religionists — False assertion that 

we are in no sense under the Law, - 191 



INDEX, 273^ 

Pa^e. 

As to positive Appointments, - - - 195 

Sturoblin^-Blocks owing to the consideration 
of Divine Requirements being superior to 

Human Ability, 201 

(1.) The Law not altered in consequence of the 

Fall, 208 

(2.) The Death of Christ procured no such 

Alteration, 210 

(3.) No universal Grace necessarily superadded, 21-5 
(4.) Not a sufficient answer to say we had Ability 

in Adam, 217 

(5.) Best ans\^'ered by distinguishing between 

Natural and Moral Ability, - - - 219 
Natural and Moral Inability and Ability 

defined. 220 

I. Natural Impotence not criminal, - - ib. 

[i.] Such weakness not condemned in Scrip- 
ture, ib. 

[ii.] If the fault lay here, the less under- 
standing or Natural Capacity was pos- 
sessed, the more criminal, - - - 222 

[iii.] New faculties not created in Regen- 
eration, lb. 

II. Moral Inability criminal always, - - 225 
A Query answered, . . . . 227 
True state of the Question, - - - 228 
Nature of free Agency, - - - . 229 
Arminian Objection ans^wered, - - 230 

1. Sinful Actions voluntary, ... 231 

2. Apology from Moral Inability inadmissible, 234 

Infer from hence, 
1. The equity of Jehovah, .... 240' 

Z 



274 



Page. 

2. Necessity of renewing Grace, - - - 240 

3. Freedom and Riches of Grace, - - - 241 

4. Consistency of Scriptural Exhortations, - ib. 

5. Encouragement to Seeking Souls, - - 242 

6. The Strong' Believer is taught Humility, - 243 
Life of the Author, 247 



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